Just a few months ago, not many expected the Chicago Bulls to be one of the hottest teams in basketball.
After ending the 2024–25 season with a disappointing 39–43 record and then missing the playoffs following a Play-In Tournament loss to the Miami Heat, many expected the Bulls to hit the reset button and enter yet another rebuilding phase.
But as the 2025–26 season tipped off, something remarkable happened. The Bulls didn’t just silence their critics — they also made history.
What Is the Chicago Bulls’ Recent Accomplishment?
The Bulls, following their 135-125 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday, now stand at a perfect 5-0 record. This marks only the third time in franchise history that Chicago has opened a season with five straight wins.
The only other times they’ve done it? The legendary Michael Jordan-led squads of 1995-96 and 1996-97, teams that went on to define basketball greatness. Even with Jordan playing 13 seasons in a Bulls uniform, this feat was achieved only twice during his era, which makes this year’s accomplishment even more impressive.
The @chicagobulls are 5-0 for the third time in franchise history. They won their first five games in 1995-96 and their first 12 games in 1996-97. https://t.co/bhyuXvxzY1
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) November 1, 2025
The hints were there in the preseason. Chicago quietly looked sharper and faster, taking three of five tune-ups and flashing a more connected two-way identity. It wasn’t just new faces — it was a new rhythm.
Through five games, the difference is in the fit. Josh Giddey has given the offense a new heartbeat by carving up defenses with pacing and angles, and the 23-year-old playmaker has averaged 22.0 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
His fingerprints were all over the 126–113 win in Sacramento, where he went for 20 points, and he then turned Madison Square Garden into a showcase with a career-best 32 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists against the Knicks.
Nikola Vucevic has also met that pace with poise. At 35, he’s playing like time forgot him, as he is currently averaging 19.8 points and 12 rebounds per night on 58.5% shooting. With Vooch anchoring the middle and Giddey steering the break, Chicago has emerged as a top-eight offense while posting the league’s second-best defensive rating in the early going.
Against the Knicks, the Bulls seized control early and never truly let go. They led by eight after the first quarter, then ballooned the margin to 19 at halftime, and after wobbling in the third, slammed the door with a 35-point fourth to win 135–125.
Now, all eyes turn to their next matchup, a rematch with the Knicks on Nov. 2. The question isn’t just whether the Bulls can keep their streak alive — it’s whether this new-look team is ready to reclaim the glory days that once defined Chicago basketball.
