The Chicago Bulls are officially back. Behind Josh Giddey’s breakout and elite defense, Billy Donovan’s squad looks ready for playoffs.

Zach LaVine had an emotional night on Wednesday when he played his first game in Chicago as a visiting player since the Bulls traded him to the Sacramento Kings last season.

Who would’ve thought that the Chicago Bulls would be undefeated heading into their NBA Cup Group Play opener against the New York Knicks? Chicago entered the 20

The Bulls have a few premier offensive playmakers in Vucevic and G Josh Giddey, but their team has found success because of their defense, ranking third (106.2) in defensive rating. They also have the fifth-best net rating, while the Knicks rank 16th in that category.

The Bulls shook off the return of their one-time star to keep their undefeated start to the season going in a 126-113 win over the Kings.

Former Bull LaVine was one of Buzelis' biggest fans last season and also one of his more famous tutors. LaVine is with the Kings now, but he's still invested in Buzelis, who's chasing greatness.

The Bulls have their typical injury report ahead of Friday's game, as they have ruled out Coby White (right calf strain) and Zach Collins (left scaphoid fracture) against the Knicks. Neither White nor Collins has been able to make their season debut yet, which makes the Bulls' run to 4-0 even more impressive.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan said rookie Noa Essengue will be assigned to the G League to practice and play with Windy City, starting on Saturday.