The holiday cheer was nowhere to be found as the Hawks and Bulls ran it back for the second straight night—because this rematch came with unresolved business. What started as a tightly contested follow-up to Sunday’s two-point Atlanta loss escalated into a flashpoint moment, with Trae Young and Ayo Dosunmu at the center of it.

Back-to-back games tend to strip things down to pride and irritation, and this one followed the script. Atlanta controlled the fourth quarter, building an 18-point advantage, but the real tension surfaced during a dead-ball moment – one that had nothing to do with the scoreboard. As Jalen Johnson stepped to the line and Billy Donovan subbed Dosunmu out, Young crossed a line that had nothing to do with basketball.

One impulsive act, one very visible reaction, and suddenly Ayo Dosunmu wasn’t just another Bulls guard having a solid night. Trae Young slapped Dosunmu on the backside as he walked off, prompting Dosunmu to confront him face-to-face, leading to a brief shoving match and benches clearing. Officials issued double technical fouls to both players but allowed them to stay in the game, with no ejections.

He was standing toe-to-toe—literally and figuratively—with one of the league’s most provocative stars, staking his claim as Chicago’s long-term bet and making sure everyone knew his name.

Dosunmu turned and got into Young’s face. It escalated to Trae shoving him back. Then it got worse by Dosunmu grabbing his shoulder.

That was the moment teammates rushed in. It looked like a brawl was about to break out but the Hawks and Bulls players collectively diffused the situation.

Trae Young and Ayo Dosunmu are not done yet

It was a continuation of what began on Sunday. The Hawks lost 150-152 at home in a tense game. Both Trae Young and Ayo Dosunmu went at it during the weekend clash.

Young had words with Dosunmu, and his Hawks teammates had to pull him away before it escalated. Clearly, Young was feeling provocative, as both teams had a rematch scheduled for December 23.

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All the theatrics and bravado may have turned the tide. The Bulls rallied all the way to a tie in the last seconds. Coby White hit a tiebreaking free throw with 1.9 seconds left, and the Bulls leapt to a fourth straight victory with a 126-123 win.

Ayo Dosunmu had played only 15 minutes tonight and tallied 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. However, he had the last laugh, as Trae Young’s 22 points and 15 assists couldn’t salvage the Atlanta Hawks’ downturn.

The Hawks have a lot to answer for. Letting a massive lead slip for one. Atlanta had a 10-point lead with 5:41 remaining in the game and an eight-point lead with four minutes left.

The minutes between Trae and Ayo’s double techs to the last play were game-defining. Atlanta gave up free throws, and the Bulls didn’t have to make a basket to win.

After the game, Trae Young didn’t acknowledge the altercation. Instead, he addressed the loss. “We’re trying to figure out how to execute down the stretch, whether it’s me or Jalen [Johnson],” he said.

The Hawks take Christmas off to recalibrate and figure out how to work with Trae Young and Jalen Johnson, who are back from injuries.