X.com – The Chicago Bulls have clinched a spot in the NBA Play-In tournament for the third year in a row after defeating the Toronto Raptors with a final score of 137-118. This victory has sparked mixed reactions among fans; some are excited about the prospect of playoff basketball, while others express skepticism or disappointment with the team’s overall performance throughout the season. Coby White’s recognition as the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for March stands out as a highlight, showcasing his impressive stats and providing a bright spot for the team. Discussions around the Bulls’ participation in the play-in range from optimism about potential upsets against higher-seeded teams to resignation about the team’s pattern of just qualifying without further advancement.
I’ve spent so much time whining and complaining about Chicago sports that I almost forgot to shut the fuck up about the Bulls.
Turns out they’ve been red hot last few weeks winning 10 of 14 while an impossibly-24-year-old Coby White continues his evolution into a tier-1 NBA guard.
It blows we couldn’t put this together while DeRozan was cooking but at the same time this is the first moment in forever that you could be positive about the long-term with the Bulls.
All it took was Coby White emerging as one of the best players in the NBA for a solid month+ stretch
Some other considerations:
- Josh Giddey is 22 years old and fills the whole box score without playing a lick of defense and I love it. You need guys like that on every NBA team and I won’t get mad about a glaring weakness defensively when he’s a swiss army knife on the other side of the court. Take the good with the bad always and in this case the good is we won a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder – something that said before this season would get your ass kicked around here
- Matas Buzelis is only 20 years old and looks like a carbon copy of Dirk Nowitzki. More impressive is the Bulls are 12-13 since he became a full time starter while he puts up 13/5/2/1 in 26 minutes a night. Extrapolate into next year and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect an 18/7/5 season with 32 minutes. And from there you can really start projecting an All NBA level talent in his early 20’s
- I know 12-13 isn’t anything to celebrate but it’s a big improvement from being 8 games under .500 through largely uninspiring play. So let me say it again. Take the good with the bad in this league always.
- We’re much closer than we were a year ago to being a Fun NBA Organization, which is critical to attracting NBA talent. There’s such a huge opportunity to win over this city and I’m desperate to find the NBA superstar that puts us over the top. For almost a decade we went every offseason with a good rumor from Kobe to LeBron to Carmelo and KD. But the last couple years have been void of anything promising which means were due for some good news. I have no idea about the salary cap situation but at least I’m interested and somewhat excited for the next chapter, which again is a huge improvement from last year.
- So that’s nice
Play in game starts on April 15th and works like this:
- There are 4 teams that are seeded 7-10 in the Eastern Conference
- There are 3 total games to determine 2 spots
- Game 1 = 7th seed hosts 8th seed. The winner advances to the NBA playoffs as the 7th seed.
- Game 2 = 9th seed hosts 10th seed. The winner advances to the 3rd game of the Play-In.
- Game 3 = Winner of Game 2 plays Loser of Game 1 with the winner advancing to the NBA playoffs as the 8th seed
So for Bulls to make the full NBA playoffs:
- Win Game 2
- Win Game 3
It’s a long road and if we muddled our way here, I’d be so checked out.
But reality is that we’ve gutted this organization into a young fresh team that’s played lights out down the stretch and now finds itself competing for the postseason. I know people love a good tank but you can’t deny the effort and attitude these guys are playing with and that’s at least something to be proud of.
Now hit the music