Bulls vs. Hornets: Chicago Erases 13-Point Deficit to Snap Skid in Charlotte Thriller

In a league where momentum is currency, the Chicago Bulls have been bankrupt for weeks. A seven-game losing streak sat on their shoulders like a weighted vest, dragging down morale and playoff hopes alike. But on Friday night at the Spectrum Center, they finally shrugged it off.

Led by a masterful performance from Josh Giddey and a resilient second-half surge, the Bulls rallied from a 13-point deficit to edge the Charlotte Hornets 129-126. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t easy, but for a Chicago team desperate to rediscover the win column, it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

“We just needed to see the ball go in and get a stop when it mattered,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said postgame.

Giddey Orchestrates the Comeback

Josh Giddey was the engine behind Chicago’s offensive explosion. The Australian guard flirted with a triple-double, posting 26 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds. He controlled the tempo against a frantic Charlotte defense, finding shooters in rhythm and attacking the rim when lanes opened up.

His biggest bucket came with just 39.1 seconds remaining. Clinging to a precarious lead, Giddey drove hard into the paint, kissing a tough layup high off the glass to extend the cushion to five. It was a veteran move from the young playmaker, silencing the buzzing Charlotte crowd.

He wasn’t alone. Coby White poured in 20 points, including two ice-cold free throws with 8.2 seconds left to effectively seal the game. Off the bench, Zach Collins provided a spark that Chicago has sorely lacked, contributing 16 points and bringing an edge to the interior defense.

The Replay That Saved the Game

For all the offense on display—both teams shot over 52% from the field—the game ultimately hinged on a single defensive possession and a trip to the monitor.

With 10 seconds left and the Bulls leading by three, Charlotte rookie sensation Kon Knueppel launched a potential game-tying 3-pointer. A whistle blew. Officials initially called Collins for a foul, which would have sent Knueppel to the line for three shots and a chance to knot the score.

Donovan immediately signaled for a challenge.

The replay center confirmed what Collins was pleading: there was no contact. The call was overturned, wiping the foul off the board and awarding possession to Chicago. It was a massive swing of emotion. One moment, the Hornets were staring at overtime; the next, they were fouling White to stop the clock.

Knueppel and Bridges shine in defeat

Despite the loss, the future looks bright in Charlotte. Kon Knueppel, the rookie out of Duke, had the best game of his young career. He torched the Bulls for a career-high 33 points and dished out 9 assists, looking every bit the franchise cornerstone the Hornets hoped for.

Miles Bridges added 32 points, and the duo combined to hit tough shot after tough shot. The Hornets lived and died by the three-ball, knocking down 16 triples on 43.2% shooting. In the first half, that perimeter attack looked unstoppable, helping Charlotte build a 61-51 halftime lead that swelled to 13 in the third quarter.

But the Bulls, perhaps realizing their season was teetering on the brink, finally locked in. They dominated the glass, out-rebounding Charlotte 55-38, and used that advantage to fuel their transition game.

A Crucial Turning Point?

The win moves Chicago to 10-14, stopping the bleeding of a brutal stretch. While they are still four games under .500, the nature of the victory—gritty, come-from-behind, on the road—could serve as a catalyst.

“It feels good to breathe again,” White joked in the locker room. “Winning cures everything.”

For Charlotte (7-18), it’s another tough lesson in closing out games. They’ve now lost four of their last five, despite the return of Josh Green, who played his first game of the season after recovering from shoulder surgery.

Up Next

The Bulls will look to build a winning streak when they return home to host the Pelicans on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Hornets hit the road for a tough test against Cleveland, hoping to find the defensive consistency that eluded them down the stretch on Friday.

For one night, at least, the Bulls can head to the airport happy. The streak is over. Now, the real work begins.