Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan highlighted his team’s defensive and offensive balance after a 127–111 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
“I give our guys credit… the number of guys going down the rotations and what we’ve had to deal with, there was certainly enough in our locker room to play better than we were playing,” Donovan said.
Donovan noted the importance of returning players and adjustments in rotations. “When you get bodies back, that always helps. We mixed up rotations a little bit differently… the level of sacrifice and wanting to fulfill a role of however they could help was important,” he explained.
The coach praised the trio of big men, including Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, and Jalen Smith, for their performance. “All three bigs played very well tonight… Vooch really kind of got it going in that end of the third, beginning of the fourth,” Donovan said, noting that maintaining these rotations could be part of the Bulls’ approach moving forward.
Donovan emphasized the value of complementary lineups. “Everybody’s got to kind of complement each other… hopefully going forward we can continue to look at those kind of lineups,” he added.
Chicago’s offense thrived with balanced contributions. Josh Giddey recorded his sixth triple-double of the season with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Coby White scored 25 points. Vucevic added 20 points and nine rebounds, including a crucial three-pointer during an 11–3 fourth-quarter run that helped the Bulls secure the win.
The Cavaliers remained competitive early, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 32 points and Jaylon Tyson’s 21, but Cleveland could not maintain momentum. Darius Garland contributed 15 points and six assists, yet the team struggled with turnovers, committing 20 compared to Chicago’s 15.
Chicago shot 56.2% from the field and 39% from three-point range, reclaiming the efficiency that had been missing during a recent slump in which the Bulls lost eight of nine games. The fourth-quarter surge, powered by Vucevic’s three-point play, Giddey’s fast-break layup, and White’s free throws, extended the lead to 117–100 with under five minutes remaining.
The Bulls improved to 11–15, gaining momentum as they look to climb in the Eastern Conference standings, while the Cavaliers fell to 15–13. Ayo Dosunmu missed his third straight game with a sprained right thumb, underscoring Chicago’s reliance on its depth.
The teams will meet again on Friday in Cleveland, giving the Cavaliers an opportunity to respond and the Bulls a chance to continue their balanced play and rotations under Donovan.
