Despite missing Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Zach Collins, the Chicago Bulls held the upper hand against a severely undermanned Detroit Pistons squad. Detroit was notably without Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, and Ausar Thompson in their November 12 matchup versus Chicago.
Even with high expectations, Chicago fell 124–113 to the injury‑plagued Pistons, suffering their worst loss of the season. Detroit dominated across the board, even building a 23-point lead in the third quarter.
Undermanned Pistons rout Bulls as Donovan reacts
The Pistons attacked the rim more often, shot more efficiently, and committed fewer turnovers, despite missing their starting backcourt. Paul Reed, starting at center in place of Duren and Stewart, led the way with 28 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and four steals—a remarkable performance for a player averaging just 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds on the season.
Daniss Jenkins, starting at point guard for the first time in his career in his 14th game, tormented the Bulls with 18 points and 12 assists. The St. John’s product consistently drove past defenders, creating mid-range opportunities for himself and open looks for his teammates.
The loss was a gut-punch for the Bulls, who have now dropped four straight games. While the previous three defeats came against strong opponents—the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and San Antonio Spurs—the loss to the undermanned Pistons was particularly jarring.
Following the game, Billy Donovan didn’t mince words in critiquing the Bulls. “We’re not talented enough not to play desperate,” the head coach said.
Even though the Bulls are 6–5, Donovan is right: Chicago doesn’t have the talent to play anything but desperately. Across the roster, only 35-year-old Nikola Vucevic has All-Star experience—and he’s struggled recently, posting three poor games in a row, including a six-point, 3-of-10 outing against Detroit.
Matas Buzelis, Kevin Huerter, and Isaac Okoro led the Bulls in scoring against the Pistons. While Huerter and Okoro profile as role players, Buzelis is still finding his footing as an ascending sophomore. His learning curve was evident late in the game, when the 21-year-old turned the ball over twice within a minute during a crucial stretch.
Missing Giddey and White, the Bulls were already stretched thin. Going into the game, they knew it would be a tough challenge—even against an undermanned Pistons squad.
Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley shared Huerter’s thoughts after the game: “We talked about it before the game. This happens all the time in the NBA. Guys are out, teams relax, their guys that don’t get consistent minutes are chomping at the bit to get in. They came out at the jump, kicked us in the teeth, and we didn’t really respond until the fourth. Lackadaisical all night.”
Lackadaisical is right. The Bulls showed little life until the fourth quarter, and by then, it was too late. Without Giddey and White, Chicago isn’t talented enough to mount a comeback. Slow starts plagued the team in the preseason, and falling back into that pattern would spell trouble moving forward.
