Thanks for Nothing Cavs, A Tough Week Ahead, LaVine’s Grind, and Other Bulls Bullets

Is this for what Joakim Noah said? Because he was right. He was always right.

•   The Bulls would have gotten some big-time help if the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off the upset victory over the Indiana Pacers, but here we are (for more on that standings, check out our Scorebroad Watching post from Monday). Despite holding a double-digit lead and having three starters with 19 or more points, the Cavaliers 8-man rotation couldn’t finish the job at home. Now, Indiana sits back in 10th place with a 3.0 game advantage over Chicago. The Pacers do have a tough schedule ahead (76ers, Bucks, Lakers, Raptors), but the Bulls would need them to lose out while going 3-1 to stand a chance. Considering the Raptors have thrown in the towel and the Nets and Bucks make up three of the Bulls’ next four games, themselves, that feels almost impossible.

•   A small silver lining is that the Wizards lost to the Atlanta Hawks by one and dropped to just 2.5 games ahead of the Bulls. Those same two teams match up tomorrow night, which could be good news for Chicago. But, again, the Bulls also need to continue on their winning streak … and that becomes really difficult tonight.

•   Yes, the last time the Bulls played the Brooklyn Nets, they won. It was the first victory of the Nikola Vucevic era, as he and LaVine combined for 47 points on an efficient 52 percent shooting night from the field. Six players also finished in double-figures against this 23rd-ranked Brooklyn defense. With the Nets’ defensive shortcomings in mind, there is a possibility we see the Bulls make this a competitive game, especially when we consider how things have looked during this three-game win streak. At the same time, the last time these two played, Kevin Durant wasn’t on the floor. The 2x NBA champion has gone nuclear over his past seven games. Durant has averaged 31.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks over that span. Likewise, he has shot a ridiculous 53.5 percent from the field and 48.8 percent from downtown. The Nets did go on a four-game losing streak before snapping it against the Nuggets three nights ago, but all four of those losses came against top-6 playoff teams (Bucks twice, Blazers, and Mavericks). Not to mention, with only a one-game lead on the Bucks for the two seed, the Nets are not going to take the Bulls lightly.

•   If Chicago does magically pull off the victory, it will likely be thanks to their big man. The Nets have the firepower to compete with LaVine on the perimeter, but they do not have a body that can truly handle Vucevic, who has averaged 26.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, and nearly 5.0 assists in his four games against them this season.

•   The Boston Celtics disastrous season continues.

•   With the Celtics now absent of their second-best player, the path for a 9 or 10 seed to make the playoffs just got a whole lot easier. If the Hornets were to beat the Celtics in the 7/8 play-in game, then the winner of the 9/10 play-in game would get to fight a pretty heavily depleted team.

•   How can you not appreciate LaVine’s grind? I know many have already embraced the tank, but it has been a pure joy to watch LaVine return to the floor with as much fight as he’s had. Whether the season is hanging on by a thread or not, it’s clear this dude loves competing, and that is the type of player you want to build around.

•   I see you Coby, and I’m sure the front office does too.

•   Sending Tony Brown nothing but the best.

written by

Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.

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