Josh Giddey's return couldn't stop the slide. The Chicago Bulls' identity crisis deepens with their eighth consecutive loss after surrendering to the Detroit Pistons.
The new-look Chicago Bulls welcomed Josh Giddey and Tre Jones back for a late-season push, but the bubble dream faded like a smoke as Chicago struggled in search of its identity.
The Bulls dropped to the Detroit Pistons 126-110 on Saturday night at the United Center, extending their losing streak to eight games and their sixth since the trade deadline. In the junction between pushing for a Play-In fortune or waving a white flag for the rest of the season early, the Bulls fell into the valley.
Giddey led the way with 27 points and six rebounds. Matas Buzelis, Isaac Okoro and Jalen Smith shared 15 points apiece. Buzelis also posted a career-high six blocks.
On the Pistons' side, Jalen Duren dominated with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Cade Cunningham followed with 18 points and 13 assists.
Buzelis fed Giddey for Chicago's first field goal. Guerschon Yabusele, making his first start as a Bulls player, powered downhill for an and-one finish, though he missed the free throw. Giddey splashed his second three-pointer of the night, and a hustle ball-saving effort from Yabusele led to Buzelis' transition triple, putting the Bulls up 11-8 and forcing Detroit to call a timeout.
Feb 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) defends Chicago Bulls forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesChicago remained scorching from deep, converting six of their first seven three-point attempts. Giddey stayed hot with his third consecutive triple, while Smith followed with another from downtown to maintain the lead. Okoro also hit from beyond the arc. But Detroit stormed back and reclaimed the lead at the 4:04 mark of the first quarter.
The Bulls went ice-cold for over three minutes until Patrick Williams broke the drought with a triple. Smith drew a foul and added two from the line, then drained another three from the top of the key. He also blocked Daniss Jenkins' final shot of the opening period, preserving Chicago's 30-28 lead.
The Bulls started the second quarter tough with four consecutive blocks, and Detroit matched that defensive intensity. Both teams then broke away offensively and traded scores. Okoro and Buzelis combined for five points before Reed Sheppard put up a strong bucket, and Detroit regained the lead at 39-37.
Nick Richards stepped up in the moment. After denying Tobias Harris' shot, he connected with Giddey for an alley-oop finish. The Bulls built from there, trimming the deficit to 45-43.
With three minutes left before intermission, Cunningham pistoned a fadeaway jumper from the wing. He then made a steal at midcourt and delivered to Duren for a fastbreak finish. Anfernee Simons broke the silence with four points in the final minute. Giddey knocked down a buzzer-beater before halftime, but the Pistons maintained a three-point lead at 53-50.
Detroit opened the third period aggressively. Harris and Duncan Robinson hit back-to-back threes, creating a 10-point gap. Giddey darted upward for a chase-down block on Duren, then scored four straight points offensively to cut the deficit.
But the Pistons immediately seized momentum. Capitalizing on the Bulls' turnovers, Detroit built a 15-point cushion by the third-quarter midpoint. Chicago derailed in the period's remainder as the Pistons dismantled their defense, leading by 21 at 97-76 entering the final frame.
The Bulls showed a few encouraging signs of climbing out of the 20-point abyss in the remainder. As their morale vanished, Chicago showed signs of yielding in a 16-point loss.
The Bulls will play a back-to-back home game against the New York Knicks on Sunday.