Instant Reaction: Nikola Vucevic Drains Game-Winner As Bulls Defeat 76ers

The Chicago Bulls delivered one of the early season’s most dramatic escapes on Tuesday night, storming back from a 24-point hole before Nikola Vucevic buried a cold-blooded corner three with 3.2 seconds left to stun the Philadelphia 76ers, 113-111. Josh Giddey authored another masterclass with a 29-15-12 triple-double, his second in a row, making him the first Bull since Michael Jordan in 1989 to stack back-to-back triple-doubles, and it was his drive-and-kick that set up the game-winner.

Chicago clamped down after a disastrous opening quarter that saw Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers drop 45 points, slowly grinding their way back until Giddey’s late bucket and Vucevic’s dagger flipped the game for good. Maxey’s 39-point eruption and Quentin Grimes’ last-second miss kept the tension sky-high, but the Bulls’ fourth-quarter defense and relentless tempo carried them to 6-1 on the season, while Philadelphia slipped to 5-2. Let’s provide an instant analysis of this game by diving into the five major talking points of the game.

1. Vucevic’s Game-Winner Headlines A Centerpiece-Style Performance

Even before the final dagger, Nikola Vucevic played like a cornerstone Chicago couldn’t afford to take off the floor. His 19 points and 10 rebounds included several mid-post touches that kept the Bulls connected offensively when Philly’s lead felt insurmountable. Vucevic’s screening and inside presence gave Giddey and Tre Jones clean driving lanes, and he consistently punished single coverage.

But everything will be remembered for that final shot. With 3.2 seconds left, Vucevic slid behind the scrambling rotation and calmly drilled the corner three, a moment of pure poise that erased nearly 24 minutes of Bulls frustration. Chicago needed a star to finish the job; Vucevic stepped into that role with absolute confidence.

2. Giddey’s Triple-Double Brilliance Changes The Game’s Entire Rhythm

Josh Giddey controlled the momentum of the comeback. His 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists steadied Chicago when the offense stalled and ignited them when they needed pace. Every time the Bulls needed a lift, Giddey delivered: off the bounce, in transition, or by orchestrating sets that punished Philadelphia’s rotations.

The back-to-back triple-doubles were emblematic of a guard seeing the floor several steps ahead. His fingerprints were all over Chicago’s fourth-quarter surge as well.

Giddey’s aggression, collapsing the defense, created clean looks that weren’t there earlier in the night, and his late-game composure was the difference between a respectable rally and a complete steal on the road. The final assist, drive, draw Joel Embiid, find Vucevic, was the perfect example of how he bent the Sixers’ defense to his will.

3. Bulls’ Fourth-Quarter Defense Erupts After A Chaotic Start

After surrendering 45 points in the first quarter alone, Chicago suddenly flipped the script defensively. The Bulls walled off the paint, contested threes with far more discipline, and held the Sixers to just 16 fourth-quarter points. Their rotations tightened, their closeouts sharpened, and the early miscommunications that let Tyrese Maxey torch them vanished.

Chicago’s defensive energy from Isaac Okoro, Patrick Williams, and Dalen Terry was essential. They disrupted passing lanes, swarmed rebounds, and forced Philadelphia into late-clock decisions instead of the early-shot-clock rhythm they had in the first half. That shift created the transition opportunities Chicago leaned on, flipping the game’s tempo in their favor.

4. Maxey’s Explosive 39 Not Enough To Carry Philly Home

Tyrese Maxey looked unstoppable for long stretches, erupting for 39 points on 14-of-26 shooting with six threes. His early barrage set the tone for a Sixers offense that seemed capable of running Chicago out of the building. Maxey’s shooting and off-ball movement punished the Bulls every time they were a split-second late.

But as Chicago’s defense tightened, Maxey’s paths to the rim shrank. The Bulls forced him into more contested shots and funneled him into tougher mid-range attempts instead of early-clock catch-and-shoot threes. Even with the superstar-level scoring, the Sixers’ stagnant late-game possessions revealed how heavily they still rely on Maxey to do everything when games tighten.

5. Bench Battle Swings Toward Chicago When It Matters Most

Philadelphia’s bench produced some strong individual moments, Trendon Watford’s 8 points, Adem Bona’s rim protection, Quentin Grimes’ defense, but collectively, they couldn’t match Chicago’s burst. The Sixers’ reserves struggled from deep, going a combined 0-for-7 from three among their primary rotation pieces and turning the ball over at critical times.

Chicago’s second unit wasn’t perfect, but it delivered far more game-changing moments. Jalen Smith’s 14 points and outside shooting stretched Philadelphia’s bigs, Julian Phillips and Patrick Williams added defensive length, and the Bulls’ reserves helped fuel key runs that trimmed the deficit before the starters closed the gap. In a 2-point game, Chicago’s bench impact was quietly decisive.