NEWSLETTER
On December 23rd, after 288 days without a regular-season basketball game, the Chicago Bulls will open the 2020-21 season against the Atlanta Hawks.
The NBA released first-half schedules for all teams on Friday afternoon, and while the Bulls may start things off against a fellow team trying to claw their way out of the depths of the Eastern Conference, their competition will immediately ramp up.
Here’s a look at the full 41-game first-half schedule (the first four games are preseason matchups):
Our season begins on 12/23 at our house.
Catch our games on @NBCSChicago: pic.twitter.com/iMnhOqwXuA
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 4, 2020
Yeesh. We’re not friends right now, NBA. My boys haven’t played basketball in nearly nine months!
While the first five games of the season aren’t against teams that have recently had the most luck, with the exception of the Indiana Pacers, each of those squads got significantly better over the offense. The Hawks have added guys like Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic, two players that will surely help fight off another potential season-sweep for the Bulls (oh, and they signed Kris Dunn … who probably isn’t going to go easy on his former team).
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors have a fully healthy Stephen Curry at their disposal, and the Washington Wizards just added Russell Westbrook to pair with Bradley Beal. I know that Wizards acquisition feels pretty weird, but it still makes that team better for the short-term.
THEN … the Bulls have a gauntlet. Six of the team’s seven games to start in January will be against projected top-of-the-standings playoff teams: Milwaukee (Jan. 1), Dallas (Jan. 3), Portland (Jan. 5), Lakers (Jan. 8), Clippers (Jan. 10), Boston (Jan. 12). Hell, I guess that’s one way to develop these young players.
Fortunately, things become a bit less difficult over the rest of January, and then the start of February offers their easiest stretch. Remember how the team failed to win more than two games in a row even once in 2019-20? Well, they should have a good chance to break that streak from Feb. 1st-10th. Over that stretch, the team will play the Knicks (x2), the Magic (x2), Wizards again, and Pelicans.
I gotta say, this schedule has brought me back down to earth a bit. I’m glad these young bucks and this coaching staff will be tested right out of the gate, but this schedule also opens the door for quite the unfun first-month win column. Hell, but that also means there is even more room for this team to surprise us!
Whatever. I can’t wait to watch some Bulls basketball regardless of the competition. Let’s get this thing going!
AND. WE. BACK.@NBCSChicago | @KOT4Q pic.twitter.com/xygXvsCdIY
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 4, 2020
