Why the Bulls look different without Ayo Dosunmu in a loss to/against the 76ers

For Chicago Bulls, Aio Dosunmu is the complete package. He can score goals when needed, rebound solidly, defend intensely and bring a style of play which reminds of the good old days of Kobe Bryant. In other words, he is the essence of a reliable player.

However, on Tuesday Dosunmu he was not in uniform on the floor as the Bulls played the Philadelphia 76ers, according to CBS Sports. Afterwards, he was out of the field due to a left quad contusion listed as suspicious—an injury that also sidelined him last week against the New York Knicks.

As a result, the Bulls had to adjust without him against the 76ers. In the first quarter, his gap was as clean as the Bulls’ completely killedafter Andrew Hanlon of Pippen Ain’t Easy.

Thanks to Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Joel Embiid, the 76ers outscored the Bulls 45-27. By the end of the first half, the Bulls were trailing by 19 points, 75-56. Overall, they look lethargic and out of it.

In the second half, Chicago rallied and came back from 24 points to as many as seven with less than five minutes left in the game. They did this by playing Dosunmu’s game with sheer intensity and will. Matas Bouzelis came alive with some big shots as well Josh Giddei.

Isaac Okoro and The Three Joneses showed productivity on both ends of the floor; the second unit — specifically Jalen Smith and Kevin Huerter —oozed confidence with some critical buckets. then, Nikola Vucevic went through in a big way as he hit winning three with 3.5 seconds remaining, going through the clutch just like Ayo.

NIKOLA VUCEVIĆ WINS IT FOR BIKOS

🔥🔥🔥

Amazing return from Chicago pic.twitter.com/S30740KSATA

— ProphetX Hoops (@ProphetXHoops) November 5, 2025

In the end, the Bulls won 113-111.

As a result, the Bulls outscored the 76ers 57-36 overall in the second half. It was probably the best basketball they’ve played so far. The Bulls will now head to Milwaukee to defeat the Bucks 6-1 on Friday.

Meanwhile, the head coach Billy Donovan he said it will be a day-to-day approach with Dosunmu.

As Aio Dosunmu is the glue that holds the unit together

There is no doubt that the Bulls have some notable players. They have Giddy’s enhanced confidence. Plus, they have the budding talent of Bouzelis. They still have Vucevic’s veteran presence and, of course, the offensive prowess of Kobe White.

When you sum it all up, it’s really Dosunmu that combines it all. Things will likely run more smoothly when he’s in the game, either as a starter or as a backup.

He has already shown it. So far, Dosunmu is averaging 16.2 points and 26.2 minutes per game. He averaged 12.3 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game last year. Unfortunately, his season was cut short due to shoulder surgery.

Another notable statistic is that he increased his three-point percentage from 32.8% to 47.6%. Defensively, Dosunmu can guard multiple positions and is especially strong on the perimeter.

Overall, he shows the level of consistency on both ends of the floor that the team feeds off of. Because of that, the Bulls can’t afford to lose him for an extended period of time.