Bulls edged by Grizzlies, 125-124, on the road for 3rd straight defeat

Cedric Coward's late free throws lift Memphis over Chicago in close matchup of lottery-bound teams

Mar. 29, 2026 at 3:23pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the final seconds of a close basketball game, with players, basketballs, and court lines broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in the teams' official colors.The chaotic final moments of a close game between two lottery-bound teams capture the unpredictable nature of the NBA season.Chicago Today

The Memphis Grizzlies held off a late rally by the Chicago Bulls to win 125-124 on Saturday night, handing the Bulls their third straight defeat. Cedric Coward scored 24 points, including a pair of clutch free throws in the final seconds, to lead the Grizzlies. Josh Giddey nearly won it for the Bulls with two late free throws, but they couldn't get a final shot off in time.

Why it matters

Both the Bulls and Grizzlies are out of playoff contention, making this a matchup of teams focused on positioning for the NBA draft lottery. The close loss continues a frustrating stretch for the Bulls, who are missing several key players due to injury.

The details

Coward's free throws with 6.5 seconds left proved to be the difference, as the Grizzlies held on after the Bulls pulled within one point late. Tyler Burton added 18 points and Jahmai Mashack had 17 for Memphis, which snapped a five-game losing streak. Matas Buzelis led the Bulls with 29 points, while Collin Sexton had 26 off the bench and Giddey recorded his 13th triple-double of the season.

  • The game was played on Saturday night, March 29, 2026.
  • The Grizzlies led 98-88 entering the fourth quarter.

The players

Cedric Coward

A 24-point, 9-rebound performance, including the game-winning free throws, led the Grizzlies to victory.

Josh Giddey

The Bulls' triple-double machine recorded 18 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, but couldn't hit the game-winning shot.

Matas Buzelis

The Bulls' leading scorer with 29 points in the losing effort.

Collin Sexton

Provided a scoring boost off the bench for the Bulls with 26 points.

Tyler Burton

Chipped in 18 points to support Coward's big night for the Grizzlies.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must have been a little fatigued playing the second night of a back-to-back, but I'm proud of the way the guys battled until the end.”

— Taylor Jenkins, Grizzlies Head Coach

“It's frustrating to come up short like that, but we'll keep fighting. The injuries have made it tough, but the young guys are getting valuable experience.”

— Billy Donovan, Bulls Head Coach

What’s next

The Bulls will look to end their three-game skid when they visit the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, while the Grizzlies will host the Phoenix Suns the same evening.

The takeaway

This close loss continues a difficult stretch for the injury-plagued Bulls, who are now focused on the NBA draft lottery. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies snapped their own losing streak, but both teams are already looking ahead to the offseason as they miss the playoffs.