The curious "95% rule" that is helping the Bulls succeed in the NBA

One of the positive surprises of the 2025/26 NBA season has been the Chicago Bulls. The team led by Billy Donovan remains undefeated in the Eastern Conference after winning their first 2 games. The formula for success? A strict adherence to the "95% rule."

The Bulls have started the 2025-26 season with a clear idea in mind: to build a more dynamic offense, where pace, spacing, and off-ball movement are the pillars of the game. Their coach, Billy Donovan, has summed up that philosophy in a concept he constantly repeats to his team: the 95% rule.

“The reality is that 95% of the time in a game, players are without the ball in their hands,” explained Donovan. “And that means there are many ways to impact the game without having to score or run the offense. It's a matter of energy, intelligence, and commitment to the team.”

Donovan, who has been trying for several years to redefine the Bulls' offensive identity, insists that the key is to not remain static while waiting for the ball. The coach cited examples like former player Alex Caruso, whose influence without the need to score was crucial in previous seasons, and he believes that newcomers like Isaac Okoro can follow the same path.

A new step for the Bulls

Last season, Chicago abandoned its traditional slow-paced, mid-range-centered game to embrace a style of pace and space, more in line with the modern NBA. Now, the goal is to solidify that system with a constant flow of cuts and off-ball movements.

Center Nikola Vucevic, one of the veteran leaders in the locker room, agrees with Donovan: “The whole league is changing. Teams are moving more without the ball, especially with big men capable of passing and stretching the floor,” noted the Montenegrin. “That creates many more opportunities. We've talked about it a lot, and with players like Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, and now Okoro, we have very good guys on those cuts that make the offense work.”

Results are already showing. In the opening victory against the Detroit Pistons, the Bulls dished out 29 assists, with 10 in just the first quarter, a display of the collective fluidity they are aiming for. In the next matchup against the Orlando Magic, the team didn't have such a strong start shooting, but the off-ball aggressiveness kept the offense alive. “When we all move and execute the plan, we are very difficult to defend,” emphasized Vucevic.

Donovan has also been prominent in his handling of the young players, particularly second-year player Matas Buzelis, one of the project's great hopes. The coach clarified that his direct and demanding style has a clear purpose: “Players quickly pick up if you're not authentic. With Matas, we've been talking from the start: 'Help me improve where needed.' Training is about confronting, but it doesn't mean yelling; it means facing what needs to be done to grow.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La curiosa "regla del 95%" que está haciendo triunfar a los Bulls en la NBA