Last time the Chicago Bulls took the floor, they were without several key contributors: Kevin Huerter, Isaac Okoro, Dalen Terry, and Nikola Vucevic. With Zach Collins already sidelined as he recovers from wrist surgery, the team was missing five players in their matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The game went just about as expected, given how shorthanded the Bulls were. The Pelicans beat Chicago 143–130, fueled by 110 combined points in the paint and on second-chance opportunities. The Bulls were overwhelmed around the basket—a problem that will persist, though it should be less severe if Vucevic returns against the Charlotte Hornets on Black Friday.