The Chicago Bulls opened the 2025-26 campaign Wednesday night with a thrilling 115-111 win over the Detroit Pistons — and while the scoreboard tells a tight story, the bigger takeaway is the potential this team showed, especially in a reshaped Eastern Conference that might be more wide open than many expect.

What went right

On paper, the Bulls got exactly what you’d hope from an opener: a veteran leader stepping up, a young player making noise and a gritty finish when the momentum shifted. Nikola Vucevic dropped 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, anchoring the front-court with steady production. Meanwhile, Matas Buzelis chipped in 21 points and flashed the sort of highlight-making plays (including an alley-oop dunk) that hint at upside. The orchestrator, Josh Giddey, added 19 points and 11 assists — exactly the sort of floor-spacing, pass-first guard you hope will elevate the surrounding pieces.

Also encouraging: Chicago outrebounded Detroit 50-46, showing commitment on the glass and giving themselves extra chances when turnovers or cold stretches start creeping in. They jumped out to a big lead (as much as 23 points) thanks to sharp ball movement and 3-point looks early on.

What you still want to see

Of course, it wasn’t all flawless. The Bulls let that 23-point lead shrink to almost nothing late in the game. Detroit tied the game at 105 with under three minutes remaining, forcing Chicago to dig deep to seal the win. That kind of lapse suggests they’ll still need to tighten up closing games and sharpen defensive rotations. Also, consistency from younger players (Buzelis, others) will be critical if this team truly wants to contend rather than just compete.

Why the timing could be special

Here’s where the real excitement kicks in: The Eastern Conference is in a transitional phase. Some of the traditional heavyweights are retooling, and the Bulls are well positioned to take advantage. With their mix of experience (Vucevic, Giddey) and youth (Buzelis, etc.), Chicago could find itself in that sweet spot of being “good now” and improving.

The win over Detroit - while just one game - signals the Bulls believe they can hang. More importantly, they showed belief in themselves. That’s key when you’re in a conference where the margin between “play-in” and “playoffs” is razor thin. With Chicago’s roster saying “we can win,” they put teams on notice.

Final takeaways

Opening night gave Bulls fans reason for optimism — not because everything was perfect, but because the intent and capability were clearly visible. Vucevic looked durable. Giddey looks like a floor general. Buzelis looks like a spark. And the board work looked serious. If you’re someone who follows this team (and I count myself among them), you walk away thinking: yes — this team might actually be better than many expect.

In a down-ish conference, that matters. More than ever, momentum counts, confidence matters, and belief that you can win becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Bulls got the “good” out of the opener. Now the test becomes consistency, refinement and exploiting the softness enough to move past “hopeful” and into “threat.”

Here’s hoping they keep the pedal down. The Bulls' second game of the season is Saturday night in Orlando against the Magic.

Playoff positioning.

The win sets the tone that they won’t be just happy to make noise — they want to own their spot. If they finish in the mid-to-upper tier of the East, that changes expectations and trajectory.

Breakthrough role players.

Buzelis’ performance suggests he’s not just for the future — he’s contributing now. If he and other younger pieces continue to ascend, Chicago gains real depth and versatility.

Seizing conference momentum.When rival teams falter or double-down on rebuilds, the Bulls can exploit openings. They might not yet be the class of the East, but they could be the “best of the rest” with upside to challenge higher.