Getty
Billy Donovan and Josh Giddey during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2025
The Chicago Bulls have lost ten games in a row. Tuesday’s home defeat to the Charlotte Hornets was the latest, a 131-99 blowout that was tied at halftime before the third quarter unravelled everything. Chicago sits at 24-35, and the Eastern Conference playoff picture is no longer a realistic conversation.
Thursday night brings the Portland Trail Blazers to the United Center. Portland is shorthanded and sitting at 28-31.
The injury report ahead of tip-off has complicated the picture for the Bulls.
Key Bulls Listed Ahead of Thursday
Patrick Williams is doubtful with a right quad strain after finishing with 11 points in Tuesday’s loss. Jalen Smith is out with a calf injury. Anfernee Simons, acquired at the deadline, has been diagnosed with a fractured left wrist and is out indefinitely.
Zach Collins is out for the season following toe surgery. Jaden Ivey remains out with a knee injury and faces at least two more weeks before reevaluation. Noa Essengue had shoulder surgery in December and will not return this year.
What Happened Against the Hornets
Matas Buzelis was the one bright spot on Tuesday. He scored a career-high 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting, hitting six threes and pulling down seven rebounds. It was one of the better individual performances of his young career. The Bulls still lost by 32.
Chicago turned the ball over 21 times and the Hornets converted those into 29 fast break points. The third quarter was the story, as it has been repeatedly during this stretch.
Coby White returned to the United Center for the first time since being traded, coming off the bench to score 10 points in 16 minutes and finishing at plus-20.
Buzelis addressed the losing streak postgame. ““I’m sorry, I just…I wanna win,” Buzelis said. “I wanna win games. That’s what everything is about, winning games. That will come. I’m a worker.”
GettyMatas Buzelis #14 of the Chicago Bulls goes up for a dunk against the Denver Nuggets.
What Comes Next for Chicago
Josh Giddey is available Thursday but has struggled since returning from a hamstring injury, with his shooting hovering near 20 percent over his recent outings.
Portland arrives shorthanded. Shaedon Sharpe is out with a calf issue. Deni Avdija and Robert Williams III are both unavailable. One more Bulls loss would tie the third-longest losing streak in franchise history. Chicago has not won since January 31st.
The broader context is hard to ignore. After the losing streak, the Bulls now hold a 20.3% chance at a top-four pick in the 2026 draft. A month ago they were 23-22. Now they sit at 24-35.
Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson headline a draft class that is generating significant buzz, and the idea of adding one of them alongside Buzelis and Giddey is not lost on the fan base. The tank, by design or otherwise, is in full effect.
Final Word for the Bulls
The roster has been rebuilt, the injuries have kept coming, and the losses have piled up. But the chance at a top pick in this draft is the silver lining for Bulls fans. Peterson, Dybantsa, Boozer and Wilson are the kind of prospects that change a franchise’s direction.
Pairing any one of them with Buzelis and Giddey gives Chicago a foundation worth building around.
The losing streak will end. Thursday against a shorthanded Portland team is as good an opportunity as any.
What this rebuild becomes on the other side of all this is the more interesting question.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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