Matas Buzelis Powers Bulls Past Warriors in 130-124 OT at Chase Center
matas buzelis scored 41 points as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Golden State Warriors 130-124 in overtime at Chase Center on Tuesday. The Warriors blew an eight-point lead with 90 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and surrendered the game in overtime after late fouls and turnovers. The result left Golden State 32-33 and Chicago 27-38.
Matas Buzelis’ big night and the deciding plays
Buzelis led Chicago with 41 points while Josh Giddey produced a triple-double with 21 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds. The pivotal sequence late in regulation saw Al Horford commit a foul on Buzelis on a three that kept the Bulls alive, Will Richard turn the ball over leading to a layup that cut the lead to one, and an LJ Cryer missed free throw that allowed Chicago to tie the game with free throws by Jalen Smith. With under two seconds remaining, Draymond Green made contact with Jalen Smith on the catch; that contact was called a two-shot foul and Smith made both free throws to force overtime.
How the game swung: runs, rotations and bench notes
Golden State opened with a buzzer-beating three from Al Horford that produced a 30-26 lead after one, and Kristaps Porzingis — playing his third game with the Warriors — came off the bench and poured in points. Chicago answered with multiple runs, including a 14-0 stretch that the Bulls converted into transition opportunities and a dominant 25-4 stretch spanning the end of the second and start of the third quarter. The Warriors countered by attacking the paint, erasing deficits and briefly taking the lead, but the Bulls retook control and led 89-83 entering the fourth.
Golden State suffered from turnovers that turned into easy Chicago baskets, and the second-unit defense struggled at times while key veterans sat on the bench. Nate Williams led a third-quarter push for the Warriors, and Gui Santos produced layups that interrupted Chicago runs. On the scoring sheet, four Warriors finished tied with 17 points: Gui Santos, Kristaps Porzingis, Pat Spencer and LJ Cryer.
Immediate reactions and accountability
Players directly involved in late-game decisions included Draymond Green, whose contact on Jalen Smith created the free-throw sequence that sent the game to overtime; Al Horford, whose late foul on Buzelis extended the Bulls’ stay in the game; and Will Richard and LJ Cryer, whose turnover and missed free throw factored into the closing sequence. Chicago benefitted from timely scoring and the late free throws that forced extra time, while Golden State’s miscues in the final 90 seconds proved decisive.
Quick context
The Warriors rallied after trailing by as many as 12 in the fourth quarter to take a late lead, but the final minute lapses undone that comeback. Bulls bench scoring and a late fouling sequence pushed the game into overtime where Chicago prevailed.
What’s next
Both teams will examine end-of-game execution and late fouls closely; the Warriors will address turnovers and defensive discipline in the final minute, and Chicago will lean on the scoring punch that night from matas buzelis as it moves forward. The immediate focus for each club will be correcting those decisive moments as the season continues.
