Chicago Bulls Post Historically Bad First-Half Performance vs. Pistons Amid Four-Quarter Collapse
The Chicago Bulls suffered one of the most humiliating stretches in NBA history, capped off by a disastrous first half against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. Over the span of four quarters across two games, the Bulls were outscored by a staggering 77 points, making it one of the worst performances in franchise and league history.
Bulls Get Blown Out in Historic Fashion vs. Pistons
Chicago entered Tuesday’s game looking to bounce back from a crushing loss to the Golden State Warriors. Instead, they unraveled even further. The Pistons wasted no time asserting dominance, scoring the first three baskets and jumping to a double-digit lead within seven minutes.
Detroit outscored the Bulls 16-0 to close the first quarter and then opened the second frame with a devastating 33-4 run, ballooning their lead to 45 points. By halftime, the Bulls trailed 71-29, tying the seventh-largest halftime deficit in NBA history.
If that wasn’t embarrassing enough, Chicago’s 42-point halftime deficit also matched the worst in franchise history. Had the Pistons continued their relentless scoring, they could have challenged the all-time NBA halftime record set by the Dallas Mavericks (77-27) against the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020.
The individual numbers were just as lopsided—Detroit’s top five scorers in the first half outscored the entire Bulls roster. By the end of the game, the Pistons’ top six scorers all had more points than Chicago’s leading scorer. The final result? A 132-92 blowout that cemented one of the darkest moments in Bulls history.
Bulls’ Collapse Began Against the Warriors
While Tuesday’s meltdown was bad, the warning signs were already there. The Bulls had a 22-point lead in the third quarter against the Warriors on Saturday but completely fell apart, losing the second half by 35 points in an eventual 132-111 defeat.
When combined with their 42-point halftime deficit against the Pistons, Chicago was outscored by 77 points over four consecutive quarters—a stretch so disastrous that it surpasses the worst single-game margin in NBA history (Memphis’ 73-point win over Oklahoma City in 2021).
The numbers only get worse when zooming in. Starting from Chicago’s 8-0 run to open the third quarter against Golden State until Detroit’s 31-4 run in the second quarter on Tuesday, the Bulls were outscored 144-56—an almost unimaginable collapse.
What Went Wrong for Chicago?
It wasn’t just one issue that doomed the Bulls—it was a combination of poor shooting, lackluster defense, and rebounding woes.
- Horrific Three-Point Shooting: Chicago shot 7-of-41 (17%) from deep during this four-quarter nightmare.
- Rebounding Deficit: The Pistons and Warriors outrebounded the Bulls 61-35, dominating second-chance opportunities.
- Turnover Struggles: Chicago committed six more turnovers than their opponents, compounding their offensive struggles.
- Free Throw Disparity? Not the Issue. The Bulls took 25 free throws, nearly identical to the Pistons and Warriors’ combined 26—meaning they simply got outplayed, not out-whistled.
Bulls Face Immediate Rematch Before All-Star Break
As if things couldn’t get worse, the Bulls don’t even have time to recover. They face the Pistons again on Wednesday at home, giving them an immediate chance at redemption—or another nightmare performance.
With the All-Star break looming, Chicago must regroup quickly and address its glaring issues. Otherwise, this historically bad stretch could signal the start of an even bigger downward spiral.
