Matas Buzelis goes from a fourth-quarter benching to 21 points against the Wizards, and says an illness had held him back

Matas Buzelis answered a benching with his best game of the young season, scoring 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting for the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, October 24, a night after he did not play a second of the fourth quarter in Milwaukee. Chicago still lost its home opener 124-120 to the Washington Wizards and fell to 1-2.

Afterward, the third-year forward said he has been battling an illness, and that on Saturday he finally felt like himself on the floor. That fits the numbers. In his first two games he made 4 of 17 shots, missed all four of his threes and had five turnovers, and new coach Tiago Splitter closed Friday’s 132-125 win over the Bucks without him.

Matas Buzelis talks about adjusting to Tiago Splitter’s style and matching up against Trae Young tonight:

“I feel like I could just be way better. I expect more from myself. It’s something I’m learning, adjusting to, and eventually I know I’ll figure it out.” pic.twitter.com/WDppDp0VbN

— Gavin Dorsey (@gjdorsey7) October 25, 2026

Nine points in the comeback

Against Washington he made all four of his shots at the rim, hit two threes, and went 5-of-5 at the free-throw line in 34 minutes and 53 seconds. He added 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal, finished plus-3, and took his turns matching up with Trae Young, who scored 25 with 9 assists.

His biggest minutes came late. Washington won the third quarter 40-20 and led by as many as 21, and Chicago’s answer was a small group with Leonard Miller at center next to Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, Josh Giddey and Norman Powell. Buzelis scored nine of his points in the fourth, including two threes and a three-point play, as the Bulls put up 38 in the period and cut the gap to three in the final half-minute. Wilson finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds.

Buzelis did not treat the rally as a consolation. “It was good, but it’s too late,” he said, and pointed at the third quarter as the stretch where a team has to set the tone.

Adjusting to Splitter

Splitter had played down the Friday benching before the game, describing short minutes after a poor night as a normal part of the sport rather than a message. Buzelis, who had his team option picked up by the Bulls on Tuesday, described his first week under the new coach as a learning process. “I expect more from myself,” he said, adding that he is confident he will figure out the new system.

Through three games he is 11-of-30 from the field and 2-of-11 from three, so one good night has not settled anything. It did put him back in the closing lineup, which is where Chicago needs its 22-year-old forward if the rebuild around him and Wilson is going to work.

What comes next

The Bulls visit the Boston Celtics on Monday, October 26, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Follow it in the Game Center, and see Saturday’s full box score here.