Chicago BullsOpen full analysis
Atlanta HawksOpen full analysis
The Chicago Bulls escaped State Farm Arena with a 126–123 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on December 23, in a closely contested matchup that fell short of the Vegas total of 254.5. Coby White led Chicago with 24 points, while Nikola Vučević added 21 points as the Bulls shot 50.5 percent from the field and made 13 three-pointers. Atlanta's J. Johnson and Trae Young countered with 24 and 22 points respectively, though the Hawks made 14 threes on the same 50.5 field-goal percentage. The decisive factor came in the fourth quarter, where Chicago outscored Atlanta 34–18 to secure the road win despite committing 16 turnovers to Atlanta's 11. Chicago's rebounding advantage of 48–38 proved crucial in controlling second chances, while their defensive rating of 113.1 held the Hawks' offense in check down the stretch. The Bulls' late-quarter surge demonstrates their ability to close games on the road, positioning them favorably in the Eastern Conference standings.
