Bulls open with two road games before Saturday’s United Center debut

The Chicago Bulls begin their regular season this week with a busy opening stretch: road games against Toronto and Milwaukee, followed by a Saturday night home opener against the Washington Wizards at the United Center. For local fans, that means the first chance to see the team at home comes after two early road tests.

The opener against the Raptors is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Toronto and will air on CHSN. Chicago was not part of the NBA’s Tuesday opening tripleheader, but Wednesday begins a run of three games in four days for the Bulls.

The season also introduces a new leadership group, with changes at both head coach and in the front office. Thiago Splitter will coach his first regular-season game with Chicago on Wednesday. The young roster includes Matas Buzelis and rookie forward Caleb Wilson, whose Summer League and preseason performances drew attention ahead of the opener.

After a day off, the Bulls head to Wisconsin to face the Milwaukee Bucks. Fans following that game should note the 3 p.m. start. The afternoon scheduling accommodates the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays that evening at American Family Field.

Saturday’s matchup with Washington brings the Bulls back to Chicago and completes the compact opening stretch. The United Center game is the first home date on a schedule that also includes a visit from the defending NBA champion New York Knicks on October 28.

Chicago will face the Knicks again at Madison Square Garden on November 4. Four days later, LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers are scheduled to visit the United Center on November 8. Those dates give fans several early opportunities to follow the Bulls against prominent opponents, with the full season schedule available on the team’s website.