Chicago Bulls Are Back! Giddey's Career-High Sparks Best Start Since Michael Jordan's Glory Days

The Chicago Bulls defeated the New York Knicks 135–125 on Halloween to secure their fifth consecutive victory and remain unbeaten in the 2025–26 season.

Australian guard Josh Giddey led the Bulls with a career-high 32 points on 57 per cent shooting, along with 10 rebounds and nine assists. It was a rousing start to both their regular season and their Emirates NBA Cup campaign. The victory also left Chicago as the only team in the Eastern Conference yet to lose a game.

The last time the Bulls opened a season this strongly was during the 1996–97 campaign.

Reliving the Jordan Era

Twenty-nine years ago, the Bulls began that season with a blistering 12–0 run en route to another NBA championship. The team was led by His Airness Michael Jordan, alongside multiple-time All-Star Scottie Pippen and the X-factor Dennis Rodman.

They finished with a 69–13 record, clinching another Central Division title and securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Jordan once again topped the league in scoring, averaging 29.6 points per game, while Pippen contributed 20.2. Rodman, despite missing 11 games through suspension for kicking a cameraman during a road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, led the league in rebounds with 16.1 per game.

That iconic team went on to defeat the Utah Jazz, led by John Stockton and Karl Malone, in six games to claim the fifth of their six titles and the second of their celebrated "three-peat".

The Next Generation of Bulls

This season's roster may not boast the same accolades, but it is younger, more athletic and eager to prove itself to Chicago's passionate fanbase.

Giddey, the standout performer against the Knicks, is averaging 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists through the Bulls' first five games, becoming only the third player in franchise history to post such numbers after Pippen in 1993 and Guy Rodgers in 1967.

The 23-year-old, acquired from reigning champions Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2024 off-season, has played a key role in Chicago's fiery start. He was rewarded in September with a new four-year, $100 million (£78 million) contract.

Veteran Presence and Leadership

The current Bulls squad has an average age of 25.3 and brims with potential. Veteran centre Nikola Vucevic provides a steadying influence, averaging 19.8 points and 12 rebounds per game, including 26 points and seven rebounds against the Knicks.

His presence on the floor has been vital in anchoring Chicago's young core, ensuring they maintain composure in tight moments and stay consistent on both ends of the court.

Missing Coby White, Finding New Heroes

One remarkable aspect of this five-game winning streak is that it has come without Coby White, who has yet to make his season debut.

The former seventh overall pick in 2019 is sidelined with a right calf strain and is expected to miss at least two more weeks. White averaged a career-high 20.4 points per game last season and remains a vital piece of the Bulls' line-up.

In his absence, fifth-year guard Ayo Dosunmu and sophomore Matas Buzelis have stepped up impressively.

Dosunmu tallied 22 points and a season-high nine assists in the win over New York, while the young Lithuanian recorded a season-high 27 points in their victory against the Sacramento Kings last Thursday.

Looking Ahead

The Bulls will face the Knicks once again on Monday 3 November at Madison Square Garden, as they aim to extend their perfect start to the season and continue their impressive early momentum.