After a blazing hot 6-1 start to the season, the Bulls have dropped their last two decisions against top-tier Eastern Conference foes. The Milwaukee Bucks defeated them on Friday night, followed by a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. At 6-3 and facing the San Antonio Spurs tonight, Chicago is quickly watching their impressive start come to a screeching halt. Even with a loss today, they’d still be well ahead of the pace anyone would have thought before the season began. Although they lost both of their two most difficult meetings of the year, they were within three points of both opponents in the fourth quarter. The most important takeaway from the weekend was that Chicago’s most significant void has been revealed, but a fix may be in place soon.
Lacking A Closer
Josh Giddey has been nothing short of miraculous with the Bulls. He has surpassed all expectations from the 2024 summer, when he was acquired, and is currently in the MVP race, nearly averaging a triple-double per game. Although he has turned the franchise around and is excellent for the first 40 minutes of action every night, he lacks the “closing gene.” Many Bulls fans knew this would be the most significant issue after seeing DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine depart, as those two primarily controlled the game down the stretch. In the closing minutes of each game to this point, the Bulls have relied on clutch defensive plays, basic pick-and-roll plays between Giddey and Nikola Vucevic, and random contributions each matchup that have propelled them to victory. This is not a sustainable formula for success in crunch time, and it failed them on Friday and Saturday night.
ideally in a game like this one, you’re getting a consistent (if not elite) offensive performance in the clutch from Coby White and interior help from Zach Collins. the loss hurts but the vision isn’t dead.
— Ross Pins (@chisportsross) November 9, 2025
Yes, the Bulls are 4-1 in clutch games thus far. Do not be fooled by the record; this team needs a clutch shot-creator when the game is on the line. Luckily for them, the closest thing they’ve got to an elite playmaking and offense-creating option is close to a return.
Coby White Will Win Games In The Clutch
While the current product for the Chicago Bulls may not feature a clutch option, thankfully, Coby White is set to return as early as Sunday. He’s been the leading shot taker and scorer for the team the last two seasons, and is no stranger to game-winning moments.
COBY WHITE CLUTCH THREE.@NBCSChicago | @CobyWhite pic.twitter.com/FgoL9jRnZD
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 1, 2023
In the 2023-24 campaign, White posted a +83 plus/minus, which led the NBA. His ability to contribute to winning basketball, especially in the final stretch of close games, is a trait that separates him from the rest of the roster.
How soon can White find his stride, and will the ice in his veins save some of the late crumbles by the Bulls?