When the final seconds are ticking down and the game is on the line, Caleb Wilson wants the ball in his hands.
That’s true even in the preseason, in a game that ultimately won’t go in the record book. With 7.9 seconds on the clock and a 102-100 deficit in Friday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Wilson had the ball at the top of the arc and tried his best to be a hero.
It wasn’t anything complicated — a ball screen, two dribbles to the right, a stepback gather into a jump shot. Wilson didn’t look to equalize. He looked for the winner. He had knocked down five 3-pointers already. In his mind, there was no reason he couldn’t hit one more.
The look was good. The play was right. But Wilson’s shot fell just a few inches shy, ricocheting off the front of the rim. It was a disappointment, albeit a small one. But even after the Bulls lost 104-100, Wilson felt sure about his choice of shot in the waning seconds.
“We all trying to go home,” Wilson said jokingly in the locker room. “Trying to end the game right there. No overtime. I’m going for it all every time.”
Wilson always has been eager to answer questions about his 3-point shooting as emphatically as possible. The rookie entered the NBA with doubt surrounding one piece of his game — his ability to consistently hit from long range. His role at North Carolina pulled him away from a regular shooting cadence, limiting him to only 1.1 attempts per game from behind the arc. Wilson shot just under 26% from that range, leaving room for some healthy skepticism about his ability to stretch the floor at the NBA level.
In Friday’s loss, Wilson delivered another strong statement on his ability to shoot the ball, finishing 5-for-11 on 3s as he scored 15 of his 21 points from deep. The shooting performance echoed Wilson’s summer league debut, where he drained seven shots on 11 attempts, including back-to-back bullets to open the game. These shots ultimately won’t matter until they start falling in a regular-season game. Wilson will have his first chance in less than two weeks, when the Bulls open their season Oct. 21 on the road against the Toronto Raptors.
Here are three other takeaways from the loss.
1. Matas Buzelis left with an ankle injury.
The third-year forward appeared to roll his right ankle during an awkward landing in the first quarter after successfully pinning a shot by Jaylen Wells to the backboard. The injury occurred barely three minutes into the game. Buzelis had scored the opening basket before the incident.
Buzelis attempted to play through the injury, waving off the team’s medical staff and immediately ripping a spin move into a 3-point attempt on his next play down the court. But a reevaluation midway through the second quarter led the Bulls to pull Buzelis for the rest of the game. He finished with six points and one block in 12 minutes, 29 seconds.
Buzelis said in the locker room after the game that he did not consider the injury to be serious. He is expected to travel to Denver with the team for Sunday’s preseason game against the Nuggets.
“It’s not bad,” Buzelis said. “Just being smart in preseason. Just a little sore, nothing crazy. I tried to play. I hate missing games. I think I’ll be ready for Sunday.”
2. Tobe Awaka took his first big test.
The Bulls believe Awaka’s motor can make up for his lack of size. The 6-foot-8 undrafted forward is relentless in pursuit of the ball. Guard Josh Giddey thinks Awaka might be the best offensive rebounder he has ever played with or against. And with an extended slate of preseason minutes because of injuries to centers Nic Claxton and Zach Collins, Awaka has been given plenty of time to prove himself over this two-week span.
Awaka approaches the game with a simple framework for his role: rebound, screen, pass. His teammates praise him for often looking to spray out to the perimeter rather than take his own shot when he secures one of his many offensive boards. This unselfish style of play is helpful for a Bulls team with plenty of length on the perimeter and less of an advantage down low.
Despite his high-effort style, Awaka always was set to struggle against the Grizzlies — and specifically 7-3 center Zach Edey. Awaka still snagged four offensive boards on the night but went scoreless while contributing a total of seven rebounds, two assists and two turnovers in 24:16. Edey did not deliver a standout performance — 10 points and five rebounds in 16:10 — but the game highlighted the stark limitations that the Bulls will face until either Collins or Claxton returns.
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3. Lottery matchup
Friday night pitted Wilson against a familiar face in the spotlight — No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer.
Boozer and Wilson have a lengthy history, playing together on the same AAU team in high school and then clashing as rivals during their respective seasons at Duke and North Carolina. The pair voiced friendly respect for one another throughout the predraft and summer league process. The Grizzlies limited Boozer’s minutes, sitting the rookie for the entire second half. Boozer still managed 10 points, four rebounds and three assists 12:22 on the court.