The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Week 14 Of The 2025-26 NBA Season

Week 14 delivered everything from a heartwarming story to potentially playoff-ending injury news. Chicago celebrated a hometown hero, winter weather wreaked havoc on the schedule, and a devastating injury crushed a contender's championship hopes. Here's how it all went down.

The Good: 

Despite brutal sub-zero temperatures and a winter storm, Chicago fans packed the United Center to witness Derrick Rose's No. 1 jersey head to the rafters. Rose, who played seven seasons in Chicago, became only the fifth Bull to receive this honor, joining Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Jerry Sloan, and Bob Love. The ceremony welcomed former teammates as Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, and Luol Deng spoke, reducing Rose to tears before he delivered an emotional speech honoring his mother and the city. Even Michael Jordan sent a video message congratulating the Chicago native. Rose reminded everyone that the journey was never about him alone, but about creating something the city could rally around. For a guy who became the youngest MVP ever at 22, watching his jersey banner rise felt like Chicago embracing its own. The Bulls capped it off with a clutch win over Boston, with Kevin Huerter hitting a corner three with 0.2 seconds left, providing the perfect ending for a perfect night.

The Bad: 

Mother Nature captured a couple of victories on the final day of Week 14 of the NBA schedule. The league postponed two games, the Nuggets versus Grizzlies in Memphis and the Mavericks versus Bucks in Milwaukee, due to dangerous travel conditions from a massive winter storm. The disruption adds yet another speed bump to an already packed schedule, as both teams will need to squeeze these games into their schedules down the stretch. The NBA has had to deal with weather delays before, but for the Denver Nuggets, who are in the midst of a playoff battle, these postponements can throw everything off. But there is a potential silver lining depending on the date of the rescheduled game, as it allows the opportunity to potentially add currently injured players such as Nikola Jokic, Cam Johnson, Christian Braun, and Aaron Gordon into the lineup. 

The Ugly: 

Warriors star Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during last Monday night's win over Miami, ending his season and requiring surgery. Butler landed awkwardly after a collision in the paint, and the Chase Center fell silent as he clutched his knee in agony. The 36-year-old had been playing some of his best basketball since arriving in the Bay Area midway through last season, averaging over 20 points during Golden State's recent surge. The Warriors had won 12 of their last 16 games and were climbing the standings with Butler's stellar play. While they are still in possession of a play-in berth, sitting eighth in the Western Conference standings, any hopes of chasing one more ring within the Steph Curry era appear all but shot.