The Chicago Bulls stormed back from 24 points down to stun the Philadelphia 76ers 113-111 at the United Center, and the comeback had both basketball brilliance and viral flair. After Nikola Vucevic buried the game-winning three-pointer with 3.2 seconds remaining for the Bulls, second-year forward Matas Buzelis made sure Chicago's celebration extended far beyond the locker room.
Hours after the victory, Buzelis posted a photo of Vucevic on Instagram, joining Bulls fans in embracing the “Vucci Mane” meme that has long swirled around the veteran center. The meme, inspired by rapper Gucci Mane, began years ago among Bulls faithful and resurfaced after Vucevic’s heroic finish. It also appears that it's something Bulls players are also embracing. In the midst of celebrating Vucevic's game-winner, Chicago fan Melissa, who goes by msmeliss024 on X, formerly Twitter and melissa.francesca on Instagram, noted with excitement that Buzelis had shared her interpretation of the “Vucci Mane” meme, with Bulls guard Coby White even commenting “Vucci Mane” beneath it.
My @NikolaVucevic meme made it to @BuzelisMatas story and @CobyWhite commented “Vucci Mane” on it.
I’ve made it. pic.twitter.com/1AbEgPmPnZ
— melissa.francesca (@msmeliss024) November 5, 2025
“Vucci Mane” and his teammates sealed the deal in the Bulls' win
The humor captured the moment, but the performance carried weight. Chicago’s win marked the largest comeback in the NBA this season and moved the Bulls to 6-1, their best start since 2021-22. They did it without guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, rallying behind a monster effort from Josh Giddey, who recorded 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists for his second straight triple-double, the first by a Bull since Michael Jordan in 1989.
Vucevic added 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaac Okoro and Kevin Huerter supplied crucial energy late. The Bulls outscored Philadelphia 32-16 in the fourth quarter, flipping a game that had looked over by halftime. Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 39 points, but Philadelphia managed only 36 in the second half and went scoreless over the final four minutes.
Coach Billy Donovan praised his team’s resilience but cautioned against relying on rallies, a similar sentiment that Vucevic, Chicago's oldest player, echoed.
“We have to play better from the beginning,” Vucevic said. “This game was a great example of what we can be when we play the way we need to.”
It was both a signature win and a snapshot of a team finding its swagger. In Chicago, the legend of “Vucci Mane” grew a little louder while the Bulls continue their magical run to start the 2025-26 season.
