Matas Buzelis has been playing better and better basketball in recent weeks, and it all led to last night’s historic performance against the Golden State Warriors. You could see it coming.
The door swung wide open for the second-year forward after the Chicago Bulls’ explosive trade deadline. While he was already viewed as a core piece of this team’s future, the front office’s decision to move on from roughly half the roster only underscored their belief in who Buzelis could become. Sure, there have been some up-and-down nights since — he’s only 21 — but that’s exactly what you expect from a young star finding his way.
Overall, it’s hard to call Buzelis’ last month anything other than an overwhelming success. He has looked increasingly comfortable serving as a main offensive hub, blending on- and off-ball scoring like the tantalizing prospect everyone fell in love with. On the defensive end, the growth has been just as real: he’s far more solid when isolated, and he’s now just four blocks away from reaching the 100-block mark for the season.
Heading into the matchup at Chase Center, Buzelis had already scored 20+ points in four of his last five games, including a 32-point explosion where he went 13-19 from the field and drained six threes. Those performances weren’t just stat-stuffing; they were proof he was taking a real-time leap.
Then came the night that turned “promising” into “unbelievable.”
Buzelis dropped a career-high 41 points in the Bulls’ overtime victory over the Warriors. He shot 16-28 from the field, grabbed 6 rebounds, dished 2 assists, stole the ball twice, and blocked two shots. Fans watched him fly past defenders on the perimeter, finish through traffic in the paint, throw down emphatic slams on cuts, nail a silky eurostep in transition, and bury a dagger step-back three in extra time. He was nearly perfect inside — 10-12 in the paint — and scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter and OT, playing the role of closer like a veteran.
Some wins feel counterintuitive during a rebuild, but not this one. Buzelis is the player with the highest star potential on this roster, and nights like these are exactly why you keep believing — even if it costs a few lottery spots.
And here’s where it gets historic.
Buzelis’ 41-point outburst put him in extremely rare Bulls air. According to Bulls PR, the franchise has only seen three players drop 40+ points at age 21 or younger:
- Michael Jordan — the GOAT
- Elton Brand — former No. 1 overall pick and multi-time All-Star
- Matas Buzelis — the former No. 11 overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft
You don’t just stumble into the same sentence as Jordan and Brand. Does this guarantee Buzelis becomes an All-Star or makes All-NBA tomorrow? Of course not. But it’s another massive accomplishment that raises both the bar and the ceiling for what Year 2 can look like. Everything he does right now feels unstoppable.
So… can he keep this momentum rolling?
The Bulls face the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. For what it’s worth, the last time Buzelis stepped on the floor at Crypto.com Arena, he posted the first 30-piece of his career.
Time to make it 50?
IT’S OFFICIAL. Matas Buzelis isn’t just a prospect anymore. He’s breathing the rarest air in Bulls history — and he’s only getting started.