Since starting the 2025-26 season 5-0, the Chicago Bulls have dropped 12 of their last 16 games, including five straight. What once looked like a promising, expectation-exceeding campaign has quickly unraveled as Chicago now sits 11th in the Eastern Conference.

The Bulls' first five-game losing streak this season — from November 7 to 16 — came against a schedule that had been the most difficult in the NBA to that point. This skid is different, as Chicago has fallen to the Pelicans (3-20), Hornets (6-16), Pacers (4-18) and Nets (5-17), all of which rank among the six worst records in the league.

The season is officially at risk of going off the rails. Billy Donovan's group is banged up, hasn't been able to finish out close games and sits three games under .500.

Still, Chicago hasn't lost hope yet. Despite doubt swirling from analysts, fans and prognosticators, point guard Josh Giddey believes the team will get back on track soon.

"I think we're right there," Giddey said following a shootaround on Friday morning. "It's not like we're getting blown out, apart from one or two games. We're right there. Every game has come down to crunch time. We've got to find ways to get better down the stretch, and a lot of that falls on me handling the ball. I'll continue to get better, watch film and learn how I can improve in that area."

Thanks to a pair of buzzer beaters and strong late-game shooting from Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls managed to take down the 76ers, Nuggets and Trail Blazers last month. However, they've also struggled in one- and two-score games. Chicago blew a 19-point lead to the Cavs, lost a 13-point fourth-quarter lead to the Spurs, fell to the Jazz by three in double-overtime, squeaked by the lowly Wizards by one point, dropped a game to the Pacers on a Pascal Siakam buzzer-beater and lost to the Magic by five on Monday.

Each of those games has been a part of the team's 3-11 stretch over the past 30 days. The next month isn't forgiving either, with games against the Warriors, Cavaliers, Hawks, 76ers, Bucks and Timberwolves looming.

For Giddey, it's about the team's lack of execution over the game's final minutes.

"Rebounding has killed us down the stretch," Giddey said. "The last couple minutes, teams get desperate and they start sending five guys, and we just haven't boxed out the way we've needed to, myself included. We've given up too many o-boards, dagger threes and putbacks, and it just kills your momentum. Defensively, we've got to do a better job rebounding, and offensively, we've just got to get into sets. I think we start to change the way we play when the game gets close down the stretch, and a lot of that's probably on me. I've got to get us better organized in those last two, three minutes so we can get good looks."

At 9-12, the season is far from over, and Giddey claims the team and coaching staff have remained engaged and committed to improving every day. Among a losing streak in which the Bulls easily could've tuned out and let the season go, the team's point guard said their cohesion is actually better than when they were winning earlier this fall.

Chicago is set to host Indiana on Friday night, looking to halt its five-game skid.

"I feel like one win is all we need, just to get back on the right track," Giddey said. "Having bodies, guys healthy would be a big bonus, but it's the NBA. Everyone deals with injuries. We've got to find ways to win games... We've got to find ways to execute down the stretch, and I think if we clean up a few things and we give ourselves a chance to win those games, we're in a much better position. I'm confident with where we're at."

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