After a much-needed three-day break, the Chicago Bulls looked rejuvenated on Sunday afternoon.

No, they didn't pull off the win over the Eastern Conference's top team, but they played their best game of the season in the 127-121 loss. Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey, in particular, took a big step in the right direction. For a group that looked as lost as this one did at Madison Square Garden, they can walk away from the game feeling like they found something.

Chicago Bulls Player Grades

Matas Buzelis – B+
Stats: 19 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK

Is Matas Buzelis back? The Chicago Bulls' forward was an instant bright spot on Sunday afternoon. He came out as one of the Bulls' most aggressive scorers, arguably benefiting from the absence of Norman Powell. The forward put LeBron James on skates – yes, you read that right – while draining a smooth mid-range jumper. Then, he found himself in the corner for a three-point splash.

Buzelis did a little bit of everything offensively, and it helped set a much-needed competitive tone for his young squad. Chicago can only hope that this is the start of a true bounce back for their second most important youngster.

Matas with the cross on LeBron 👀@CHSN__ | @BuzelisMatas pic.twitter.com/1qaYzfw8lC

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 8, 2026

Caleb Wilson – C+
Stats: 18 PTS, 5 REB, 2 STL

You've got to give it to Caleb Wilson. The forward faced his first real taste of individual adversity at Madison Square Garden with a soft benching by Tiago Splitter. Nevertheless, he didn't let that phase him in this one. After a 24-point outburst against Philly earlier in the week, Wilson looked plenty confident hunting his spots.

There is a case to be made that the forward settled for too many mid-range jumpers, and he also missed a few solid looks at the rim. However, the Bulls will live with some inefficent shooting nights as long as it means Wilson is being aggressive.

For what it's worth, arguably his best bucket of the night came in the third quarter, when Tyrese Maxey found himself switched on the No. 4 pick. Wilson immediately noticed the ISO advantage and went right at the smaller guard. Spinning toward the basket, he finished easily over the top of Maxey.

Caleb Wilson displaying ELITE bag work today 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2Ikw44Po3J

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) November 8, 2026

Josh Giddey – A-
Stats: 19 PTS, 15 AST, 7 REB

Josh Giddey continued to put a lot of pressure on himself this week when talking about the Bulls' 1-7 start with reporters. He insisted that it's on him to get this group in a better offensive rhythm. And, to his credit, he did that against Philly.

Giddey did a great job controlling the tempo, putting some real pressure on the paint, and repeatedly finding open shooters. He had 9 of his 15 assists in the first half alone! On top of that, he also finally generated some of his own looks inside with a 5-7 shooting night in the paint! The more he can assert himself as a driving threat, the better this offense is going to be.

Noa Essengue – B-
Stats: 10 PTS, 7 REB, 1 AST

All things considered, this was a big night for Noa Essengue. The 19-year-old has continued to earn his head coach's trust. To be sure, he played fewer than 15 minutes, but he finished in double figures for the first time in his young career and made a difference on the glass. Getting to the free throw has also been a sneaky important part of Essengue's game, and he reminded us of that with his 4-5 performance at the charity stripe. Is he a pretty odd player? Yes, but the untapped potential remains pretty fascinating.

Patrick Williams – C-
Stats: 7 PTS, 3 AST, 3 REB

First-quarter minutes for Patrick Williams!? With Norman Powell and Zach Collins sidelined, Tiago Splitter took it as an opportunity to play some different lineups. Both Buddy Hield and Leonard Miller sat early to pave the way for Williams. He didn't look like some kind of revelation, but the defense was active, and his physicality was notable. At the end of the day, the mere fact that Splitter even played Williams is a win for the forward.