Who: Phoenix Suns (42–35) vs. Chicago Bulls (29–47)
When: 12:30 PM Arizona Time
Where: United Center — Chicago, Illinois
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports, NBATV
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Suns are about to play their 78th game of the season (yeah, the postseason is coming in fast), and it’ll be their final matchup against an Eastern Conference team: the Chicago Bulls.
About a month ago, Phoenix got caught off guard by this same team, losing by just two points in a messy and somewhat concerning
game. The Suns never even held the lead, largely due to poor shooting: 39% from the field, 28% from three, and 67% from the free-throw line.
As for recent form, it hasn’t been pretty for either side. The Suns are 3–7 over their last 10 games, while the Bulls are even worse at 2–8, including a five-game losing streak. One team is trying to regain confidence and rhythm to secure the 7th seed, while the other is basically playing for nothing. Too far from the Play-In, too far from the lottery.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
- Amir Coffey — QUESTIONABLE (Left Ankle)
- Haywood Highsmith — OUT (Right Knee)
Bulls
- Zach Collins — OUT (Right Toe)
- Noa Essengue — OUT (Left Shoulder)
- Josh Giddey — QUESTIONABLE (Left Hamstring)
- Lachlan Olbrich — PROBABLE (Plantar Fascia)
- Nick Richards — QUESTIONABLE (Right Elbow)
- Collin Sexton — PROBABLE (Right Finger)
- Anfernee Simons — OUT (Left Styloid)
What to Watch For
The Suns are facing a Chicago team that plays at one of the fastest paces in the league (3rd this season), driven by transition engines like Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, and Collin Sexton. The first key matchup will be tempo control: Booker needs to dictate a more controlled pace against a team that constantly wants to run, and fast, rushed basketball hasn’t exactly worked out for Phoenix lately.
Another key factor is the matchup between Matas Buzelis and the Suns’ wings. Buzelis has taken a real leap this season. He’s not in the MIP race, but his improvement is undeniable. He’s long, offensively versatile, and has no problem putting up double-digit rebounding performances. If given too much freedom, he can be dangerous—Brooks, Fleming, and the rest will need to stay locked in.
Finally, the battle inside could be intense: Mark Williams (if he plays), Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach, Guerschon Yabusele, Nick Richards, and Jalen Smith will all be involved. The Bulls are the second-best defensive rebounding team (34.8 per game), while the Suns rank 4th in offensive rebounds. This could turn into a real war in the paint in Chicago.
Key to a Suns Win
The first key is simple: slow the game down. Chicago is only dangerous when they control the pace. If Phoenix dictates tempo, forces the Bulls into half-court sets, and limits turnovers, the advantage shifts immediately.
The second focus is attacking Chicago’s perimeter defense, one of the weakest in the league (24th this season). Booker, Green, and Gillespie need to hunt switches, go at Giddey and Tre Jones, and generate open looks for O’Neale, Allen, Fleming. Or even Oso Ighodaro (okay, maybe not him).
Defensive discipline is also crucial. The Suns need to rediscover consistency in their help defense, traps, and pick-and-roll coverage. Mistakes will happen, that’s inevitable — but they need to be minimized. This is the kind of game where you clean things up and prepare for bigger challenges ahead.
Lastly, Phoenix absolutely has to win the non-Booker minutes, which is a recurring issue. That means giving clear playmaking responsibility to Green, Gillespie, or even Allen, running simple sets (Spain PnR, ghost screens, off-ball actions), and leaning into Oso’s simplicity. A more defensive-minded lineup could also help create extra possessions and tempo swings — which, in 2026, is basically the foundation of winning basketball.
If these three levers are pulled, the Suns should be in control.
Prediction
I don’t expect an easy game. Not at all. It should be fast-paced and entertaining, and if the shot-making is there, we could see a really fun matchup between two teams with completely different approaches to tempo.
That said, Phoenix is still the better team (and nearly at full strength), so I’m going with a solid win for the Suns.
Suns 121, 110 Bulls
