It feels oddly fitting that the Detroit Pistons are on the schedule next.
Drama has ensued for the Chicago Bulls this week following their trade deadline acquisition of former Pistons lottery pick Jaden Ivey. The guard appeared in four-straight games upon his arrival, only to promptly become the odd man out once Josh Giddey and Tre Jones returned. The decision not to play him raised many questions, as did his immediate postgame comments.
Ivey's benching had nothing to do with the injury report, according to both Billy Donovan and Wes Unseld Jr. However, the guard mentioned lingering knee soreness in his conversation with reporters postgame. This led to him missing practice on Friday for further evaluation, which resulted in the team ruling him out for the next two weeks on Saturday morning.
All of that to say: An Ivey revenge game will not be in the cards tonight.
The Chicago Bulls will enter this matchup with the East's top team on a seven-game losing streak. They have yet to win a game since their destructive trade deadline, struggling immensely to play clean basketball on either end of the floor. Their most recent battle with the Raptors saw them turn the ball over 23 times while shooting just 41.0 percent from the field.
Considering how much trouble this smaller Bulls rotation had with the physical Raptors, it's hard to imagine much better results against the East's top team. Detroit averages the second-most points in the paint per game and also has a tendency to feast on second-chance opportunities. Playing physically down low and boxing out will have to be a priority.
The same can be said about shooting efficiently from long range. One of the few areas where the Bulls have the upper hand tonight, Detroit has ranked in the bottom half of the NBA in 3PAs and 3PMs all season long. Can Chicago's guards get hot? It may be the only way to pull off the upset.
How to Watch
Who: Detroit Pistons (41-13) at Chicago Bulls (24-32)
Where: United Center
When: 7:00 PM CT
Watch: Chicago Sports Network
Projected Starting Lineups
Chicago Bulls
1. Josh Giddey
2. Anfernee Simons
3. Isaac Okoro
4. Matas Buzelis
5. Jalen Smith
Detroit Pistons
1. Cade Cunningham
2. Duncan Robinson
3. Ausar Thompson
4. Tobias Harris
5. Jalen Duren
Injury News
Guerschon Yabusele of the Chicago Bulls
Feb 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) warms up before an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
To make matters worse for the Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Pistons have a very clean injury report this evening. While Isaiah Stewart remains out due to his lengthy suspension, Jalen Duren is set to return to the lineup and wreak havoc.
The Bulls have also downgraded Guerschon Yabusele due to a calf injury, but it appears he should still be healthy enough to suit up. The Bulls will need any help they can get in the paint.
Chicago Bulls Injury Report
Guerschon Yabusele – PROBABLE (calf)
Jaden Ivey – OUT (knee)
Zach Collins – OUT FOR SEASON (toe)
Detroit Pistons Injury Report
Tolu Smith – QUESTIONABLE (kee)
Isaiah Stewart – OUT (suspended)