Last night’s upset victory over the Detroit Pistons shocked many in the NBA world. The Bulls pulled off the 115-111 win behind a huge night from Nikola Vucevic and contributions across the board. Matas Buzelis showed that he’s ready for the big stage, putting on a show on both ends of the floor. The newest addition, Isaac Okoro, proved precisely why the Bulls added him, locking Cade Cunningham down to 8-of-24 from the field. While celebrating 1-0 was sweet, one slight holdup might become much larger.

Buzelis Tweaked His Ankle, But Finished The Game

With 7:53 left in the third quarter, all of Chicago held their breath as Buzelis landed on the foot of Jalen Duren and went down, grabbing his lower leg and foot. Thankfully, after a few minutes, Buzelis would shake it off and remain in the game. After review, the shooting foul was upgraded to a flagrant one penalty as it was deemed reckless and unnecessary, and Chicago’s young star was awarded three free throws and possession. While Buzelis finished the game and didn’t seem overly affected by the play, this could become a massive issue for the Bulls as they look to build on their 1-0 start this season.

Matas Buzelis got fouled on a 3-pointer and is holding his right ankle after going down. The trainer came out, but he walked off the floor under his own power. The play is being reviewed for potentially landing under a shooter.

https://twitter.com/CodyWesterlund/status/1981174044528365607

Whether he was trying to add a dramatic response to the foul to bait the flagrant one upgrade potentially, or he truly was injured on the play, Bulls fans saw their worst nightmare unfold on the first night of the year. If Buzelis goes down, as one of the cornerstone franchise assets, this season would be completely derailed.

Two Days Off Will Help

More good news for Chicago’s faithful is that the Bulls have the next two days off. Their next contest will come on Saturday against the Orlando Magic, and the next 48 hours will be spent recovering and healing. Suppose this were midseason and they had a back-to-back, Buzelis would likely sit out as a precaution.

Buzelis distinguished himself as the most electric, athletic player on the roster with the most untapped potential. After parading around this offseason, speaking his improvement into existence, his preseason and first regular-season game have justified his confidence. His 21-point, six-rebound, and three-block night was a promising start to his sophomore campaign and has given fans a new reason to tune in.

Keep a close eye on Buzelis’s ankle and the injury report in the coming days. Head coach Billy Donovan and Buzelis will likely both be questioned about the play and his health heading into game two. For now, Chicago has dodged a bullet and avoided disaster.