The Chicago Bulls flipped last year's script in their 2025-26 season-opening victory over the Pistons, nearly donating win No. 1 to Detroit with a horrendous fourth quarter. While several next-morning headlines give attention to the team's ability to hold onto a lead rather than toss it away, they may look drastically different without Billy Donovan's call to insert Tre Jones into his starting lineup.
The Bulls were one of the best second-half teams in the NBA last season. They averaged 59.9 points over the final two quarters, good for third-best in the league. Even in the preseason, they started slow and were forced to finish with a flurry.