ATLANTA -- — Matas Buzelis scored 28 points to lead nine Chicago players in double figures and the Bulls outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 152-150 on Sunday in the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season.

Chicago set season highs for points in a first half and game and held on in the closing seconds in the first of two straight games in Atlanta. The teams will meet again Tuesday night.

The Bulls also were involved in the previous highest-scoring game this season, a 150-147 double-overtime loss at Utah on Nov. 16. Golden State beat Denver 162-158 on Nov. 2, 1990 in the highest-scoring regulation game in NBA history.

The Bulls topped their previous high for points in a first half in taking an 83-73 halftime lead. They scored 72 first-half points in a 128-122 loss at Cleveland on Nov. 8. The Bulls also set a season scoring high for a game, topping their total in a 150-147 loss at Utah on Nov. 16.

Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 36 points, and Trae Young had a season-high 35. The Hawks have lost three straight and seven of nine to fall back to .500 at 15-15.

Johnson’s 3-pointer with five seconds remaining gave the Bulls a 151-150 lead. Buzelis made one of two free throws with 4.2 seconds remaining before Young missed a last-second jumper.

Buzelis made a career-high seven 3-pointers in eight attempts for the hot-shooting Bulls. They have won three straight to improve to 13-15.

Onyeka Okongwu had 23 points and Vit Krejci added 20 for Atlanta.

Young started for the second time in three games after missing 21 games with a right MCL sprain. Coach Quin Snyder said Young will need a continued “acclimation process” to be ready to play back-to-back games.

Bulls guard Coby White had 21 points after being considered questionable with a sore left ankle. Josh Giddey had 19 points and 12 assists.

Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) missed his sixth straight game. The Hawks announced that two-way forward Eli Ndiaye will have season-ending surgery for a torn labrum suffered in a G League game with College Park on Dec. 9.

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Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Nikola Vucevic vs. Onyeka Okongwu (Jalen Johnson gains possession)	0	0
11:44	Onyeka Okongwu makes dunk (Trae Young assists)	2	0
11:29	Isaac Okoro makes layup (Coby White assists)	2	2
11:11	Zaccharie Risacher misses 24-foot three point step back jumpshot	2	2
11:08	Josh Giddey defensive rebound	2	2
11:01	Nikola Vucevic makes 26-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)	2	5
10:52	Zaccharie Risacher bad pass turnover (Nikola Vucevic steals)	2	5
10:43	Coby White makes 26-foot three point jumper (Nikola Vucevic assists)	2	8
10:29	Josh Giddey shooting foul	2	8
10:29	Dyson Daniels misses free throw 1 of 2	2	8
10:29	Hawks offensive team rebound	2	8
10:29	Dyson Daniels misses free throw 2 of 2	2	8
10:25	Jalen Johnson offensive rebound	2	8
10:21	Onyeka Okongwu makes 23-foot three point jumper (Zaccharie Risacher assists)	5	8
10:10	Nikola Vucevic makes 9-foot floating jump shot (Josh Giddey assists)	5	10
9:59	Trae Young bad pass turnover (Nikola Vucevic steals)	5	10
9:49	Matas Buzelis makes 23-foot three point jumper (Isaac Okoro assists)	5	13
9:37	Jalen Johnson makes 6-foot two point shot (Trae Young assists)	7	13
9:37	Isaac Okoro shooting foul	7	13
9:37	Jalen Johnson makes free throw 1 of 1	8	13
9:20	Josh Giddey misses 26-foot three point jumper	8	13
9:16	Jalen Johnson defensive rebound	8	13
9:11	Jalen Johnson misses running pullup jump shot	8	13
9:09	Matas Buzelis defensive rebound	8	13
9:01	Matas Buzelis makes driving layup	8	15
8:46	Trae Young makes 14-foot pullup jump shot (Onyeka Okongwu assists)	10	15
8:32	Isaac Okoro makes 26-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)	10	18
8:16	Onyeka Okongwu misses 10-foot floating jump shot	10	18
8:13	Josh Giddey defensive rebound	10	18
8:08	Coby White misses 25-foot three point jumper	10	18
8:03	Isaac Okoro offensive rebound	10	18
7:58	Isaac Okoro makes 24-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)	10	21
7:57	Hawks Full timeout	10	21
7:42	Jalen Johnson makes 23-foot three point jumper (Dyson Daniels assists)	13	21
7:31	Josh Giddey misses 27-foot three point jumper	13	21
7:29	Onyeka Okongwu defensive rebound	13	21
7:19	Onyeka Okongwu makes 10-foot two point shot (Jalen Johnson assists)	15	21
6:57	Josh Giddey makes 1-foot dunk (Nikola Vucevic assists)	15	23
6:39	Zaccharie Risacher makes driving layup (Trae Young assists)	17	23
6:25	Isaac Okoro makes 2-foot layup (Josh Giddey assists)	17	25
6:03	Onyeka Okongwu makes 10-foot driving floating jump shot (Trae Young assists)	19	25
5:52	Coby White misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	19	25
5:49	Jalen Johnson defensive rebound	19	25
5:43	Zaccharie Risacher makes 23-foot three pointer	22	25
5:31	Jalen Johnson personal foul	22	25
5:31	Mouhamed Gueye enters the game for Onyeka Okongwu	22	25
5:31	Nickeil Alexander-Walker enters the game for Zaccharie Risacher	22	25
5:31	Vit Krejci enters the game for Trae Young	22	25
5:31	Tre Jones enters the game for Matas Buzelis	22	25
5:31	Ayo Dosunmu enters the game for Josh Giddey	22	25
5:31	Kevin Huerter enters the game for Nikola Vucevic	22	25
5:31	Zach Collins enters the game for Coby White	22	25
5:14	Kevin Huerter misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	22	25
5:12	Bulls offensive team rebound	22	25
5:09	Kevin Huerter makes driving layup (Tre Jones assists)	22	27
5:09	Nickeil Alexander-Walker shooting foul	22	27
5:09	Patrick Williams enters the game for Isaac Okoro	22	27
5:09	Kevin Huerter misses free throw 1 of 1	22	27
5:06	Dyson Daniels defensive rebound	22	27
4:49	Jalen Johnson misses 24-foot three point jumper	22	27
4:47	Bulls defensive team rebound	22	27
4:31	Patrick Williams makes two point shot (Ayo Dosunmu assists)	22	29
4:21	Nickeil Alexander-Walker misses 3-foot floating jump shot	22	29
4:17	Dyson Daniels offensive rebound	22	29
4:17	Dyson Daniels misses tip shot	22	29
4:16	Zach Collins defensive rebound	22	29
4:10	Mouhamed Gueye blocks Ayo Dosunmu 's 1-foot driving dunk	22	29
4:07	Dyson Daniels defensive rebound	22	29
4:03	Jalen Johnson makes 4-foot two point shot	24	29
3:37	Kevin Huerter lost ball turnover (Mouhamed Gueye steals)	24	29
3:27	Jalen Johnson makes two point shot (Dyson Daniels assists)	26	29
3:15	Ayo Dosunmu misses 25-foot three point jumper	26	29
3:11	Jalen Johnson defensive rebound	26	29
3:07	Nickeil Alexander-Walker misses 25-foot running jump shot	26	29
3:05	Patrick Williams defensive rebound	26	29
3:00	Kevin Huerter makes 25-foot running jump shot (Patrick Williams assists)	26	32
2:41	Nickeil Alexander-Walker misses 24-foot three point jumper	26	32
2:39	Zach Collins defensive rebound	26	32
2:36	Kevin Huerter makes two point shot (Tre Jones assists)	26	34
2:15	Mouhamed Gueye misses 23-foot three point jumper	26	34
2:14	Hawks offensive team rebound	26	34
2:14	Bulls Full timeout	26	34
2:14	Trae Young enters the game for Jalen Johnson	26	34
2:14	Onyeka Okongwu enters the game for Dyson Daniels	26	34
2:02	Trae Young misses 20-foot pullup jump shot	26	34
1:59	Hawks offensive team rebound	26	34
1:57	Onyeka Okongwu makes 24-foot three point jumper (Trae Young assists)	29	34
1:50	Zach Collins offensive foul	29	34
1:50	Zach Collins offensive foul turnover	29	34
1:40	Vit Krejci makes 24-foot three point jumper (Trae Young assists)	32	34
1:24	Patrick Williams misses 26-foot three point jumper	32	34
1:21	Hawks defensive team rebound	32	34
1:21	Nikola Vucevic enters the game for Ayo Dosunmu	32	34
1:21	Jalen Smith enters the game for Zach Collins	32	34
1:06	Jalen Smith personal foul	32	34
55.9	Onyeka Okongwu makes 24-foot three point jumper (Nickeil Alexander-Walker assists)	35	34
39.8	Tre Jones makes 9-foot two point shot (Jalen Smith assists)	35	36
32.9	Trae Young makes 25-foot driving floating jump shot	38	36
9.5	Patrick Williams misses driving layup	38	36
6.2	Patrick Williams offensive rebound	38	36
6.2	Patrick Williams misses tip shot	38	36
6.0	Patrick Williams offensive rebound	38	36
5.8	Patrick Williams makes two point shot	38	38
0.9	Trae Young misses driving floating jump shot	38	38
0.1	Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound	38	38
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	38	38

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

State Farm Arena

Atlanta, GA

Date & Time

8:30 PM, December 21, 2025

Coverage

CHSN, FanDuel SN SE, NBA League Pass

Attendance

15,110

Referees

Marat Kogut, Mitchell Ervin, Jonathan Sterling

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	45	16	.738	L2
Cleveland	39	24	.619	W2
Milwaukee	26	35	.426	L4
Chicago	26	37	.413	W1
Indiana	15	48	.238	L8

2025-26 Southeast Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Orlando	34	28	.548	W3
Miami	35	29	.547	W4
Atlanta	32	31	.508	W5
Charlotte	32	32	.500	L1
Washington	16	46	.258	L7

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Bulls beat the Hawks 152-150 in the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season

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