Bulls Dispel Gloom With a 16-Point Win Over Pelicans on New Year's Eve

Amid an injury crisis and a two-game skid, a win on New Year’s Eve night would serve as a placebo for the Chicago Bulls. 

After dropping twice to the same opponent earlier in the season, the Bulls took revenge successfully on the third without Josh Giddey, Coby White and Zach Collins, winning 134-118 over the New Orleans Pelicans to close out the year of 2025.

Isaac Okoro led the way with 24 points and five rebounds, while the whole team had eight players scoring double-digits. The Bulls also limited their turnover to a season-low eight. On the Pelicans' side, Zion Williamson led with 31 points.

The Bulls started hot with a 9-2 cruise, forcing a Pelicans’ timeout after two turnovers. Matas Buzelis lit up the arena, spinning through the defender and finishing a jam. Jalen Smith scored five straight points to create the gap.

Back to the court, Vucevic found Tre Jones for an open corner. After another passing turnover from New Orleans, he dug deeper and scored a hookup. Okoro followed up with a cut-in layup, creating a nine-point lead. The forward then forced another New Orleans turnover and finished the layup, dominating at 24-13.

New Orleans, led by Jordan Poole’s prowess, gradually cut the deficit close. Trey Murphy III and Micah Peavy combined for five points, cutting it into a two-point game. Chicago broke the silence with six more points, including a Kevin Huerter’s and-one fadeaway. Chicago led 36-32 after the first period.

Buzelis and Vucevic continued to shepherd the offense in the second frame with four points, and Zion Williamson and Derik Queen made it a one-point game with four points. Jones beat a defender through a drive and fed to Okoro for a layup, followed by a Jevon Carter trey. But the Pelicans took the first lead at 46-45 after Peavy put up a contested two.

The Bulls regained a six-point lead after a timeout. Smith, after blocking a shot on the restricted area, came up and responded with a finger-roll layup on the other end. Huerter and Dosunmu contributed five points.

Four minutes to the intermission, Williamson’s solo power helped the Pelicans to tie at 56, but Chicago freshened off by seven points after a massive three from Okoro, Vucevic added four with his mid-range; Buzelis interfered with the ball and converted a one-handed slam. The Bulls led 67-62 at halftime.

Turning into the second half, the Pelicans attacked first and edged the gap by only one point. Jones added four points in response. The game went slowly as both drew contacts and fought on the free-throw line, until Patrick Williams connected a three-pointer. Dosunmu and Smith weaved through the traffic and finished quality drives, allowing Chicago to take an eight-point lead. 

Poole danced beyond the perimeter and rattled a three. Huerter, checking in for Buzelis, who struggled with four fouls, responded with a corner. Poole again rallied a fastbreak two, trimming the deficit to four at the 2:41 mark. Williams then fought for a 50/50 ball and caused a jump ball, leading to a Huerter’s contested jam from Jones’s full-court delivery. The Bulls locked in a lead at 97-90 to enter the final frame.

Buzelis returned with foul trouble and fired two three-pointers. The Bulls again led by nine after the sophomore powered downhill for a two. Building up the momentum, Vucevic splashed another triple on top of the key, and the Bulls cushioned at 112-103.

Huerter contained Jeremiah Fears’ drive with a clean block, leading to a one-two fastbreak between Ayo Dosunmu and Buzelis that finished with the latter’s jam. Dosunmu and Huerter converted two threes, extending a larger advantage by 17.

In the remaining five minutes, the Bulls protected their dominance, featuring Williams' scoring show, and closed the night tightly at 134-118.

After the New Year celebration. The Bulls will stay at the United Center for the next opponent, the Orlando Magic, on Friday at 7 p.m. CT.