Don’t look now, but the Chicago Bulls currently hold the 9th spot in the Eastern Conference. They currently sit two games behind the Brooklyn Nets in the loss column. Both teams sit at 19 wins on the year; however, Brooklyn has played four fewer games than the Bulls so far this season. The Bulls have won 6 out of the last 10 games even with a slew of injuries. We won’t get carried away with the Bulls almost being in the playoffs as it is more of a testament to how bad the Eastern Conference is.
How can the Bulls gain ground?
The Bulls have six games remaining until the All-Star break. Those opponents have a combined record of 144-133, one of which is the Brooklyn Nets. Four of the remaining opponents currently sit in the top eight of the Eastern Conference. Let’s say, in a best-case scenario, the Bulls split the next six games going 3-3 -- with wins against the Nets, Wizards and Pelicans. That would leave the Bulls at 22-33 heading into the All-Star break. This could have the Bulls potentially sitting in the 8th seed, depending on how the Nets fair in their eight games before the break.
Even with a 3-3 split over the next six games, this would leave the Bulls in a favorable position. The Bulls should see both Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. return after the break.
Another player to expect back after the break is Daniel Gafford. He sustained a dislocated thumb on January 15th and was expected to be out 2-4 weeks. If it ends up being four weeks that should see him back right after the break.
With the return of two starters and a key contributor to the team, the Bulls could catch fire at the right time. Zach LaVine has continued to play at an All-Star level and the complementary pieces around him look to be improving.
Could the trade deadline hurt playoff chances?
With the trade deadline just nine days away it doesn’t appear the Bulls will be looking for a blockbuster trade. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Young and Valentine moved though. As long as the trade packages get the team competent players in return, it shouldn’t hurt the Bulls chances of creeping into the 8th seed.
We all know that this Bulls team would be out after the first round of the playoffs, but making it to the playoffs would be a major confidence boost for the younger guys on the team, as well as earning some much-needed playoff experience. If they can make their way into the playoffs with this core imagine what they could do with a competent coach and a big-name free agent.
