Raptors Hand Bulls Worst Loss in Franchise History

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Chicago Bulls 135-92 in a historic blowout victory.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Basketball

Raptors Hand Bulls Worst Loss in Franchise History

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The Toronto Raptors secured a dominant 135-92 win over the Chicago Bulls, marking the largest margin of defeat in the history of the Bulls franchise. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks triumphed over the Orlando Magic with a final score of 132-125.

Why it matters

The game was notable for both the historic scale of the Bulls loss and individual milestones, including Josh Giddey reaching 1,000 career assists. These outcomes set an early tone for the competitive standing of these teams in the current NBA season.

Josh Giddey reached 1,000 career assists in just 125 games, while Dyson Daniels recorded 20 points and five steals in the Hawks season-opener. The 135-92 scoreline represents the largest margin of defeat in Chicago Bulls history.

The players

Josh Giddey

He is a professional basketball player currently playing for the Chicago Bulls.

Dyson Daniels

He is an Atlanta Hawks guard who became the fourth player since 1973-74 to record 20-plus points and five-plus steals in a season-opener.

The details

The Toronto Raptors utilized aggressive ball pressure and physical play to force five turnovers from Josh Giddey, who struggled to 1-for-10 shooting. In Atlanta, Dyson Daniels helped secure the Hawks victory by recording a transition steal and lob assist within the first 20 seconds of play.

Thursday, October 22, 2026: Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks season-opening games.
1973-74: Start of recorded NBA player statistic tracking.

Season Trajectory

This performance marks a statistical milestone that follows the standardized tracking established by the 1973-74 season. Such early-season results heavily influence the initial narrative surrounding team depth and the competitive balance within the division.

The Bulls 43-point loss creates immediate concerns for their early-season rotation and defensive reliability. Conversely, Dyson Daniels performance provides a significant boost for fantasy basketball managers tracking steals and scoring production.

The takeaway

Historic blowouts early in the season often signal a need for rapid adjustments to defensive schemes and rotations. Fans should watch how these teams respond in their next outings to determine if these results were outliers or indicators of deeper structural issues.