Mar 8, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) throws the ball back inbounds against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Chicago Bulls 98-91. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bulls are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Do they have enough to make a late-season playoff push?
As a surprise to exactly no one, the Chicago Bulls' up-and-down season has resulted in them fighting for their playoff lives. Similar to last year, the Bulls have posted impressive wins against some of the top teams in the league such as the Cleveland Cavaliers — whom they have beaten three times — the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and yes, even the Golden State Warriors.
While that list is certainly impressive, the Bulls have also dropped games to the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks (twice) and a New York Knicks team (twice) that will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
With just 14 games remaining in the 2016-17 campaign, the Bulls sit at 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, one game behind the eighth-place Detroit Pistons. The question is: Do the Bulls have what it takes to make a late push towards the postseason? If we use recent history as an indicator (i.e. last year), the answer is no.
Despite the gloom-and-doom narrative, there are several factors that could sway the proverbial pendulum in the other direction. Today, we will look at a few things that could help the Bulls defy the odds and capture that last spot in the conference playoff race.
Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) fouls Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) in the first half of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Re-emergence of Nikola Mirotic
By all standards, Nikola Mirotic is having the worst season of his career in a Bulls uniform. After posting double-digit scoring averages in this first two seasons — including a respectable 11.8 points per contest in 2015-16 — Mirotic has not had the same level of success in Year 3.
In fact, Mirotic is averaging career lows in points (9.4 per game), field goal percentage (39 percent) and three-point shooting (31 percent). Needless to say, this season has not gone the way he and the Bulls expected it to.
As a result of his inconsistent play, Fred Hoiberg recently benched Mirotic for three consecutive outings during the team's season-high five-game losing skid. But just when it appeared that he would be a mere spectator for the duration of the season, Hoiberg gave Mirotic another chance, and he did not disappoint.
In a game against the Charlotte Hornets on Mar. 13, Mirotic scored a team-high 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting and pulled down 11 rebounds in 29 minutes of action. His contributions could not have come at a better time for a Bulls squad that was struggling to score points over the past week (90.2 PPG).
"Me and Jimmy [Butler] talked to Niko before the game and told him we need him,'' Dwyane Wade told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We're not going to make the playoffs without him, and we just want to let him know that we need his focus, we need his ability to shoot the ball."
Mirotic followed that up with a somewhat respectable performance in Chicago's 98-91 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Mar. 15. In 28 minutes of action, he scored 14 points on 3-of-10 shooting and grabbed five rebounds.
Of course, if Mirotic pulls another infamous disappearing act, these last two outings will not hold much weight. Conversely, if Mirotic can find a way to consistently play well during this final stretch, which is a big IF, he can certainly be a difference-maker for a Bulls team that has little room for error going forward.
Jan 24, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo (9) dibbles the ball against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. Chicago Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic 100-92. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Keep Rajon Rondo In Starting Lineup
The Bulls acquired Rajon Rondo to help fill the lead guard slot after they traded Derrick Rose during the offseason. After early positive returns, though, Rondo was benched for five-plus games following an outing against the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 30.
Although Rondo would eventually return to the rotation, Hoiberg tagged him as the lead point guard with the second unit. But with their playoff hopes all but on life support, Rondo was re-inserted into the starting lineup over the past two games, and the results have been nothing short of solid.
Against the Hornets, Rondo finished with a stat line of 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Not only that, he converted three of his six attempts from three-point range. It should also be mentioned that Chicago had four players score at least 20 points, while shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
To put this stat in its proper perspective, this had not happened since the quartet of Artis Gilmore, Reggie Theus, Larry Kenon and Ricky Sobers accomplished the feat back on Feb. 11, 1981, per the Chicago Tribune.
In the outing against Memphis, Rondo scored 17 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out six assists, while shooting 3-for-4 from distance. Even more important, the Bulls' offense is averaging 103 points per contest and the team has been playing at a faster pace.
In other words, Rondo should remain in the starting lineup for the remainder of the season.
Jan 24, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) and forward Jimmy Butler (21) looks on against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Favorable Schedule Down The Stretch
Over the next seven games, things will not get any easier for the Bulls. During that stretch, they will face six teams who are currently jockeying for position in the playoff race.
This list includes:
As you can see, beating any of those teams will be no easy feat for the Bulls, as each opponent will have something to play for. That's the bad news.
The good news is the Bulls will conclude the 2016-17 campaign with a somewhat favorable schedule. Out of the seven games they will play in April, only one of those teams (the Atlanta Hawks) is above the .500 mark and currently in the playoff race.
Sure, the Bulls have not played that well against sub-.500 ball clubs, as their 17-19 mark would indicate. One can only hope that trend will change being that every game will be of the utmost importance in terms of improving their chances to advance to the postseason.
Mar 4, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg reacts to a call against the LA Clippers during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Consistent Rotation
The Bulls made a midseason trade that sent Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to the Oklahoma City Thunder. One of the reasons for that trade was because the front office wanted to get a closer look at some of the younger players on the roster.
More from Hoops Habit
To appease his superiors, Hoiberg utilized 12- and13-man rotations during the latter part of the Bulls' five-game losing streak, and the results left a lot to be desired, to say the least.
In a game against the Houston Rockets on Mar. 10, after staying within striking distance in the first half, the Bulls were outscored by a 36-14 margin in the third quarter en route to a 115-94 defeat.
They followed that up with one of their worst peformances of the season in a 100-80 loss to the Boston Celtics two days later. In that contest, the Bulls missed 19 of their first 20 attempts and scored just nine points on 3-for-26 shooting in the game's first 12 minutes.
Following that disastrous experiment, Hoiberg wised up and decided to tighten up the rotation going forward. So far, the results have been a mixed bag, with the Bulls splitting their last two games.
However, if the Bulls are going to have any chances of making it to the playoffs, they are going to have to rely on their veteran players who know what it takes to win on a nightly basis, rather than the alternative.
