It was a wire-to-wire victory for the Bulls on Saturday night.
The Bulls did not face the Heat on Thursday due to slippery on-court conditions, and that extra day off evidently worked to their advantage. Chicago used a well-rounded effort to snap its three-game skid on Saturday, handling the Mavericks at home, 125-107.
Coby White led the way in his second game since returning from right calf tightness, scoring 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Ayo Dosunmu stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, eight assists, four rebounds and four steals, while Nikola Vucevic added a double-double. Matas Buzelis, Isaac Okoro, Tre Jones and Kevin Huerter each finished in double figures as well.
Dallas' rookies caused problems for Chicago throughout the game, though they couldn't string together enough positive moments to make a significant difference. Point guard Ryan Nembhard had 16 points with six assists, and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg dropped 11 points but had five turnovers.
Chicago led by as many as 27 points and did not trail. At 18-20, Billy Donovan's team now sits 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesThe Bulls' game plan was clear from the jump, as Chicago's first-quarter shot diet was almost entirely three-pointers and restricted-area shots. Fourteen of the team's 29 attempts came from beyond the arc, and while the Bulls only converted on five, the sheer volume and offensive rebounding off such shots gave them an eight-point lead after one.
Dallas spent most of the game without head coach Jason Kidd. Midway through the opening quarter, Kidd attempted to challenge a goaltending call from a Max Christie block on Dosunmu. The longtime coach and former player exchanged some words with officials after not being granted a challenge, and Kidd was subsequently given a double technical foul and ejected.
The barrage of triples continued into the second, and the Bulls used a 13-2 run to take an 18-point advantage. But a string of sloppy plays by Chicago gave the Mavericks life, as Flagg and Nembhard wreaked havoc on both ends.
Donovan's squad held a 66-55 lead at the half, though the margin shrank to start the third. When the Bulls missed their first five three-pointers, the Mavs cut their deficit to just four. However, White broke Chicago out of its slump with a triple and eight third-quarter points, helping the Bulls maintain the gap.
White and Dosunmu led a 22-11 run to close the period, pushing Chicago's lead back up to 15. The Bulls eventually pulled away at the start of the fourth, allowing their starters more time to rest at the end of the game.
Chicago will return to action on Tuesday in Houston before hosting the Jazz the next day.