Bulls Lose to Knicks but Find Spark Between Wilson and Buzelis

The Chicago Bulls fell to the New York Knicks, 133-127, on Wednesday night at the United Center. Despite the loss, the team found a productive rhythm in the second quarter through a partnership between rookie Caleb Wilson and forward Matas Buzelis. The duo connected on a sequence that began with a steal by Wilson and ended with a dunk by Buzelis. This moment provided a glimpse of the dynamic the franchise has sought to build all season.

Buzelis struggled for the first four games of the season, missing dunks and turning over the ball. Wilson’s arrival changed the rotation, forcing Buzelis to handle more ball and guard different positions. The adjustment period has been difficult, with Buzelis sitting out parts of games and facing on-court frustration. However, Wednesday’s performance showed the pair beginning to sync. Wilson finished with 20 points, while Buzelis scored 17. They played together for the final stretch of the game.

"Matas is my guy off the court and on the court," Wilson said after the game. "I love playing with him. He had a great game tonight and I’m excited to see him keep flourishing and getting better every night. I want to connect on a bunch more lobs both ways. I just feel like it’s a step in the right direction."

The Bulls competed aggressively against the reigning champions. They generated fast-break points after Knicks defenders fell to the floor. A buzzer-beater three-pointer by Tre Jones gave Chicago a 62-56 lead at halftime. The crowd roared as the team took the lead. However, the Knicks responded in the fourth quarter. Jalen Brunson took control of the game, hitting three three-pointers in the final period. Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson also contributed from the bench, combining for six made threes.

The game was decided by second-chance points. The Knicks out-rebounded the Bulls on the offensive end. They secured three offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, scoring six points from those possessions. Coach Tiago Splitter chose not to call a timeout with 24 seconds remaining. He wanted his players to run an improvised play. Josh Giddey missed a three-pointer in that final possession, sealing the defeat. Splitter admitted the decision was a miscalculation. "And now of course I regret not calling timeout," he said.

The Bulls also addressed their shooting struggles. They were the league’s worst team from deep through their first four games, making only 23.8% of their attempts. Wednesday’s game broke that trend. Chicago hit 18 of 42 three-pointers. Norman Powell led the team with four made threes. Wilson, Buzelis, and Jalen Smith each made three. The improvement suggests the early-season slump was an outlier rather than a permanent issue.

The Bulls will continue to develop their backcourt and frontcourt dynamics as the season progresses. The team holds a 1-3 record after Wednesday’s contest.