The 41-point game Matas Buzelis produced against the Warriors felt bigger than a hot night.
It looked like the clearest sign yet that the Chicago Bulls may finally be seeing what their young forward can become when the offense leans into his strengths.
Through 64 games and 64 starts, Buzelis is averaging 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field and 36.5% from three.
Those are strong numbers for a 21-year-old forward. His recent stretch suggests something more meaningful is starting to happen.
Buzelis is scoring like a featured option
Over his last 10 games, Buzelis has averaged 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds. In his last 13 games, he has averaged 17.6 points and 6.2 rebounds.
That production matters because it has arrived with a visible change in approach.
After a late-night conversation with Billy Donovan in late February, Buzelis began playing with more decisiveness and more force downhill. The Bulls coach has pushed him to stop holding the ball and start attacking openings immediately.
That adjustment was obvious in the win over Golden State. Buzelis went 11-for-12 in the paint and did not attempt a single mid-range two.
That is a modern star shot profile. He attacked the rim, got to his threes and avoided the inefficient space in between.
The Billy Donovan message is showing up on the court
Donovan explained the change clearly after the breakout performance.
“If he holds it and tries to read the defense and then figure out what he wants to do, it’s too late. He’s seeing that more now,” Donovan said.
That quote gets to the heart of Buzelis’ recent growth.
He is no longer drifting through possessions waiting for the perfect read. He is making faster choices, driving harder and putting pressure on defenses before they can load up against him.
The results have been immediate. In the first game after that conversation, Buzelis scored 32 points against Charlotte. A couple of weeks later, he delivered the best scoring night of his career in San Francisco.
The defense suggests this is more than a scorer’s streak
The most encouraging part of Buzelis’ emergence is that it is not built on offense alone.
He has recorded 96 total blocks this season and is averaging 1.5 blocks per game.
Research on his defensive profile also shows Buzelis holding opponents to 28.6% shooting in isolation situations, which is an elite number for any young forward.
That matters because it changes the projection entirely.
If Buzelis were just a volume scorer on a struggling team, the Bulls would still have questions about whether his production translated to winning basketball. A forward who can protect the rim, defend in space and create efficient offense is a much more valuable piece.
Josh Giddey is helping unlock the version the Bulls need
Buzelis’ breakout also has context.
The Bulls’ post-deadline offense has placed more responsibility on younger players, and Josh Giddey has become a major part of creating easier looks for Buzelis. In the Warriors game, Giddey piled up 17 assists as Chicago increasingly played through the Buzelis-Giddey partnership.
That pairing matters for the future. Giddey gives the Bulls a high-level table setter, and Buzelis is beginning to look like the type of wing-forward scorer who can benefit most from that setup.
The Bulls still have major roster questions. But for the first time in a while, they also seem to have a clearer developmental picture.
The next step is proving it lasts
Buzelis understands that one huge game does not settle anything.
“I believe I can do it consistently. But I have to do it. I have to show it,” he said after the win.
That is the right way to frame it.
The 41-point outburst was important because it showed how dangerous Buzelis can look when his process is right. The bigger takeaway is that his recent scoring jump, his smarter shot selection and his defensive impact all point in the same direction.
The Bulls may not have found a finished star yet. But they are getting a much clearer glimpse of one.
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