The Chicago Bulls pulled off the most stunning comeback of this NBA season, overcoming a 24-point deficit to beat the Sixers 113–111. The masterpiece was sealed by Nikola Vucevic’s clutch three-pointer with 3.2 seconds left on the clock.

Billy Donovan’s team continues its remarkable start to the season: with this win, the Bulls improve to 6–1, matching their best start since 2021–22 – the last time they reached the playoffs.

But beyond the numbers, this W over one of the East’s top teams carries symbolic weight: it’s proof of a group that, after a disastrous first half, found unity and resilience.

Giddey in MJ mode: record-setting back-to-back triple-doubles

The driving force behind the comeback was Josh Giddey, who posted 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists – his second straight triple-double.

No Bulls player had accomplished that since Michael Jordan, which says everything about the magnitude of the night.

It’s one of the most beautiful wins I’ve ever been part of. We were in a terrible spot early in the third quarter, but we dug deep, reacted, and showed who we are

Josh Giddey

Alongside the former OKC guard, Vucevic contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds, while six Bulls players finished in double figures.

The early collapse and the response

For two quarters, though, the game looked all but over. Philadelphia dominated the opening period, closing it at 45–27 and extending their lead to +22 in the second half. Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 39 points, while Joel Embiid – despite scoring 20 in 25 minutes – collapsed after halftime, shooting just 1-for-10 from the field.

We believed in ourselves, but we also knew we played terrible basketball in the first quarter, especially on defense. Many of those mistakes were avoidable, and we proved it in the second half

Nikola Vucevic

The perfect (almost accidental) ending

With 14 seconds left, Chicago trailed by one. Donovan called a timeout to draw up the final play, but things didn’t go exactly as planned.

I wasn’t sure where I was supposed to go. I asked Billy, ‘Coach, after the screen, where do I go?’ and he said, ‘Go to the corner

Nikola Vucevic

From there, the magic happened: Giddey drove to the basket, drew the defense, and found Vucevic wide open in the corner for the game-winning three. Chicago took the lead for the first – and only – time of the night.

The comeback will live long in fans’ memories, but Vucevic, a 15-year veteran, kept things in perspective:

We can’t think we’re a great team if we go down by twenty and then wake up. We’ve got to play like this from the start. This game shows what we can be – but only if we do it for all 48 minutes

Nikola Vucevic

With wins already over the Knicks, Sixers, Hawks, Magic, and Pistons, the Bulls are emerging as one of the most solid teams in the Eastern Conference. The real challenge now, though, is consistency.