Bulls Bounce Back Behind Bench Mob to Defeat Bucks 132-125

The Chicago Bulls bounced back from a dismal season-opening loss by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 132-125 on the road. Following a heavy defeat at the hands of the Toronto Raptors earlier in the week, head coach Tiago Splitter made crucial adjustments, looking to his bench to spark a major turnaround after a slow start at Fiserv Forum.

Milwaukee dominated the opening quarter, establishing a lead of up to 15 points while the Bulls struggled offensively and shot poorly from long range. However, Chicago completely flipped the momentum in the second quarter by exploding for 44 points. A high-energy second unit featuring Tre Jones, Isaac Okoro, Buddy Hield, Noa Essengue, and Leonard Miller fueled a 16-0 run that put the visitors ahead 55-51 at halftime.

The reserve unit proved instrumental in maintaining defensive intensity and pushing the pace in transition. Splitter praised the group's execution, highlighting the steadying presence of Jones at the point guard position. "I cannot say enough about Tre," Splitter said during his postgame press conference. "He changed the game, the way he led the second unit, and then at the end, doing the right thing."

As the game tightened in the fourth quarter, Splitter made the strategic decision to ride the hot hands rather than strictly relying on his starting lineup. With the Bulls trailing late in the period, Jones checked back in with under four minutes remaining to close out the contest alongside clutch performers like rookie Caleb Wilson. The closing lineup orchestrated a decisive 14-6 run to seal the win.

Jones finished the matchup with 11 points, eight assists, three rebounds, two steals, and a team-best +24 plus/minus without committing a single turnover. Meanwhile, Wilson anchored the offense in the second half, scoring 19 of his 21 total points after intermission and icing the game with four consecutive free throws in the final moments.

Wilson drew high praise from his veteran teammate following the victory. "He's fearless, he's a competitor, and he's a winner at the end of the day," Jones said of the young forward. "He does whatever the team asks of him; he does things that the team doesn’t even ask of him."

The strong play of the bench helped offset a quieter night for starting guard Josh Giddey, who was benched during crunch time after recording six points and nine assists while playing through a left wrist injury. The Bulls will look to build upon this momentum when they host the Washington Wizards for their home opener.