Josh Giddey’s career night keeps the Chicago Bulls perfect in NBA
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Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey driving to the basket against the New York Knicks during the first half of the 135-125 NBA Cup win at United Centre in Chicago on Oct 31, 2025.
PHOTO: IMAGN IMAGES
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CHICAGO – Josh Giddey scored a career-high 32 points and Nikola Vucevic added 26, as the Chicago Bulls remained unbeaten with a 135-125 win over the visiting New York Knicks on Oct 31 in the NBA Cup opener for both.
At 5-0, the Bulls are off to their best start since the 1996-97 campaign when Michael Jordan led them to the title.
Chicago are one of three remaining unbeaten National Basketball Association (NBA) teams but the only one left in the East.
Australian guard Giddey was quoted by ESPN as saying: “We feel good as a group of where we’re at right now, but there’s a long way to go.
“Every night, there’s different guys making plays and stepping up. We’ve got a bunch of guys – six, seven guys averaging double figures.
“That kind of speaks volumes to how deep we are as a team and the impact we’re getting across the board.”
Giddey had 21 points in the first half on seven-of-10 shooting, including four-of-five from three-point range.
Said Chicago coach Billy Donovan after his 200th victory: “The mentality that they believe, which I think is very, very powerful, I think when there’s belief it’s really, really powerful.
“There’s good connection. They’ve got good relationships. They all can talk to each other. I think there’s a lot of positive things that they have that really go into winning.
Ayo Dosunmu (22), Matas Buzelis (13), Kevin Huerter (12) and Jalen Smith (10) also finished in double figures for Chicago. Giddey added 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Jalen Brunson scored 29 points for the Knicks, who have lost three straight. O. G. Anunoby had 26 points, while Mikal Bridges had 23 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown scored 32 points as the Boston Celtics won 109-108 to knock Philadelphia from the ranks of the unbeaten as the NBA Cup in-season tournament began.
In Memphis, Los Angeles Lakers star guard Luka Doncic, sidelined a week ago with a left finger sprain and lower left leg bruise, scored 44 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and passed off six assists in a triumphant return with a 117-112 victory against the Grizzlies.
In Los Angeles, Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, including the game-winning basket with 0.4sec remaining, and James Harden added 24 to give the Los Angeles Clippers a 126-124 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
In other notable ties, Portland’s Jerami Grant sank two free throws with 1.4sec left to give the Trail Blazers a 109-107 home victory over the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets got 21 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists from Nikola Jokic, his streak of four straight triple-doubles to start the season ending in the defeat. REUTERS, AFP
