The Chicago Bulls rode a historic performance from Josh Giddey to a 127-111 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center on Wednesday. The 23-year-old Australian put together his sixth triple-double of the season, finishing with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in 34 minutes, plus two steals, a block, and five made threes, tying his career high from beyond the arc.
Giddey’s performance placed him in rare territory in Chicago's history. He became the first player in franchise history to register a triple-double while hitting five or more three-pointers, and joined Michael Jordan as one of only two Bulls players to post multiple 20-point triple-doubles. His career tally now stands at 24 triple-doubles, ranking him 23rd all-time in the NBA and surpassing New York Knicks legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier, while moving just one behind Clyde Drexler. Within Chicago, he is third on the all-time triple-double list with 13, behind only Jordan (28) and Scottie Pippen (15).
Giddey has been incredibly consistent this season. In the first 25 games, he became the first Bulls player to hit 400-plus points, 200-plus rebounds, and 200-plus assists, lifting his averages to career highs of 20.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game. He has six triple-doubles in just 24 games, one fewer than he achieved in 70 games last season, putting him alongside Nikola Jokic and Jalen Johnson among the league leaders.
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After a hot 5-0 start, the Bulls had struggled mightily, winning just once in their previous nine games, but Wednesday’s victory could be a turning point. Chicago shot 56.2% from the field, making 14 of 36 three-pointers, and led by as much as 19 points in the fourth quarter. Coby White scored 25 points, and Nikola Vucevic came through with 20 points and nine rebounds. Seven Bulls players scored in double figures, with Tre Jones recording 11 points and 11 assists, and Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, and Isaac Okoro all chipping in.
Leading the charge for Cleveland was Donovan Mitchell, who posted a game-high 32 points, and Jaylon Tyson with 21 points. Darius Garland poured in 15 points and six assists, and Jarrett Allen contributed 14 points of his own. The Cavaliers dropped to 15-13 overall, having won only three of their past ten games, as injuries, including Evan Mobley’s calf issue, continued to impact the team.
Meanwhile, Chicago now sits at 11-15 but is still three games behind Cleveland in the Central Division and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Nonetheless, Giddey and the Bulls will look to carry this momentum into the next matchup against the Cavaliers on Friday in the second game of the home-and-home series.