National Basketball Association

Chicago Bulls: 3 Reasons For Team's Early Success

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

At 3-1, the Chicago Bulls have found themselves proving naysayers wrong, showing success from the jump. Here’s how they’ve gotten it done.

As of Thursday, the 3-1 Chicago Bulls are tied for second in the Eastern Conference with four other teams, who all sit behind a perfect 5-0 Cleveland Cavaliers. Although it is far too early to make any sort of prediction as to what their future will hold, their early success is still pretty darn impressive.

In fact, even fans themselves cannot believe how well things have been going lately.

After a summer of surprise signings and subsequent weeks of the media speculating just how poorly things will go regarding Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler playing together, it seems like the team has proven their naysayers wrong.

(So far, anyways.)

Sure, they took a loss on Wednesday night to the Boston Celtics, but it was a road game. The Bulls almost ended up coming back in the fourth quarter anyways, proving they had enough stamina and skill to at least keep up.

This leads us to the question: How have they managed to seemingly pull off the impossible by being successful right from the start?

Well first and foremost, there is Rondo himself.

It can be said with assurance that no one has ever imagined a world where Rondo is a team’s key to success. However, the planets must have realigned themselves to sit in his favor, because that is now the case.

Although recognized for his on-court talent, the 30-year-old has also become widely known as a troublemaker. From fighting other players to even his own coaches, over the years Rondo has been cast aside as a bad seed. So naturally, Bulls fans expected the worst.

And yet somehow in this new chapter of his career, the point guard has managed to recast himself as the hero.

(Okay maybe not hero, but a good guy nevertheless.)

Word has it he has been communicative at practice and in team huddles during games. He has asserted himself as a mentor, wanting to teach instead of just bulldoze past those who may not be as experienced. He has even been making an effort to get to know guys on a more personal level.

He is, well…Rondo 2.0.

A guy who may for now only be averaging 8.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, but has a whopping 7.8 assists a night under his belt. Just as he did during his glory days with the Boston Celtics, Rondo is acting as a facilitator, making sure that those around him thrive.

Speaking of thriving, that is exactly what Chicago is doing from beyond the arc.

Before their matchup against the Celtics, the Bulls led the league in three-point shooting, a statistic that no one saw coming.

They actually set a franchise record for hitting the most three-point shots through the first three games of a new season, with 31 in total.

(What was that about the Bulls having no long range shooters on their roster?)

Wade is currently shooting 41.7 percent from downtown, while Butler and Doug McDermott sit at 50 percent. Even after game against Boston, Chicago ranks third in the NBA in three-point efficiency, shooting 40.9 percent from downtown.

It does not hurt that Chicago is considered an underdog, either.

People doubted the Bulls before the season even began. And why not, given the organization’s recent years? It was only right for everyone to be skeptical. Distrustful. Weary.

In that, some of the pressure was taken off the team.

Instead of having to return as the reigning champions, or the team that almost was, Chicago gave its fans no expectations. It was simply a revamped team, trying to revive a franchise.

And thus far in 2016-17, they have done just that.

Now, the entire league has taken note.

Of course, things could change quickly for the Bulls moving forward. Four games into a new year cannot exactly foreshadow how the rest of the season will go. However, there is still plenty to be proud of, even so early on. So go ahead and be hopeful again, Chicago. I know I am.