As a fan of any sports team, it's very easy to get swept away in the throes of pre-season. Perhaps your team is about to move into a new stadium, or have added a number of experienced and talented players to their roster which will improve the team beyond measure. In any case, we're all well aware that things don't always go to plan (that *is* the beauty of sport after all) and, so, with this in mind, it's important to stay realistic and manage your expectations accordingly. After landing Daniel Gafford, Coby White, Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky in the off-season, Chicago Bulls fans will be hopeful of putting a disappointing season behind them and moving back up towards the right end of the league. But just what can they realistically expect from their team this season?
Two Years of Hurt (at least)
The Bulls have been going through a period of rebuilding for the last two years and the team have had to endure some pretty embarrassing defeats as a result. However, the Bulls are now finally in a position whereby sneaking into the playoffs is a fairly realistic possibility. Last year was a particularly rough one for the Bulls. As can be seen at www.landofbasketball.com, they suffered a staggering 30 double-digit loss and rolled over far too easily when going behind early on in a contest. Many will point to the abrupt management change as a catalyst for their poor form but those who watched the Bulls closely will know that the problems were there well before that. Sometimes, it's about how you lose and the fans will be asking for much more effort in the upcoming season.
A Coming of Age
It's fair to say that much of the Bulls' season will depend on individual player development. Zach LaVine is an all-star in waiting if he can up his defensive game and Lauri Markkanen just needs to find that extra 10% of consistency to turn into one of the best players in the league. In terms of the new recruits, there will be the inevitable "bedding in period" where players have to find their feet and become acquainted with their new teammates. In light of this, those who fancy a flutter on the Bulls to be the surprise package in the upcoming NBA season are best advised to choose a risk-free bet from www.sportsbettingcanada.org. This will ensure that you get a bet on without having to part with your own hard-earned cash.
