Wizards Stumble, Can the Bulls Avoid Another Losing Streak? Positive Vibes, and Other Bulls Bullets
The next few weeks are about to be … *puts sunglasses on and pops collar* … rad.
Not only does March Madness tip-off later this week (I get to watch even more basketball!), but the Chicago Bulls are actually making things interesting in the Play-In Tournament race. Let’s also not forget that March 30 marks the start of the MLB season, which is only a week before the Bleacher Nation crew is throwing a live event in Wrigleyville!
Gotta love sprops!
- The Washington Wizards might be self-destructing at the perfect time. The team is now 3-7 in their last 10 games and has dropped three in a row. In their defense, two of those games were against the Hawks and one was against the Philadelphia 76ers, so it’s not like they haven’t been playing decent competition. Yet, still, they have now officially fumbled the upper hand in the Play-In Tournament picture, allowing Chicago to take sole possession of 10th place for the time being. The Pacers also hold a tiebreaker advantage over the Wizards, meaning Washington technically sits 12th at the moment.
- To be clear, only a half-game separates both the Wizards and Pacers from the Bulls, so it’s certainly not time to take any kind of victory lap. Chicago also easily has the toughest stretch of the three teams coming up, with each of the next five matchups coming against teams that are .500 or better. In case you’re curious, here’s what the next week or so looks like for all three squads:
– Bulls: vs. SAC, vs. MIN, vs. MIA, @ PHI, vs. PHI
– Wizards: vs. DET, @ CLE, vs. SAC, @ ORL, vs. DEN
– Pacers:: vs. DET, @ MIL, vs. PHI, @ CHA, @ TOR
- Whether it be matchups with Detroit, Orlando, or Charlotte, both the Wizards and Pacers have at least a couple of winnable games on the calendar. Meanwhile, I can’t sit here and say I’d be shocked if the Bulls go on a five-game losing streak. I know they’ve beaten both the 76ers and the Heat this year, but that victory over Philly came without Embiid on the floor (otherwise, the Bulls have literally NEVER beaten Embiid in his career) and Miami is playing far better basketball as of late. Chicago has also already lost to both the Kings and Timberwolves this season, and neither game was all that close.
- But, hey, we might as well start this week with positive vibes! The Bulls have gradually played better basketball after their ugly six-game losing streak and seem to finally be operating with a sense of urgency. Their win over the Denver Nuggets, in particular, reminded us just how well they can perform on both ends of the floor when locked in. Not to mention, Zach LaVine is truly playing as well as anyone in the NBA right now. The scary thing is that when this group has played well in the past, they’ve immediately acted too big for their britches. As long as they can avoid that, though, they could continue this Play-In push.
- I wrote a lot about LaVine earlier this week and in yesterday’s bullets, so I’ll keep this brief. LOOK AT THIS DIME!!
- The Bulls broke the Nuggets!
- When I see something MJ-related on the timeline, I might as well drop it in bullets!
- Your monthly reminder that the Windy City Bulls are pretty stinkin’ good. Thanks to Henri Drell dropping 26 points and 36-year-old Jeremy Pargo adding 25 points and 8 assists off the bench, the Bulls made up a 23-point deficit.
- The concessions strike at the United Center appears to be coming to an end. According to The Athletic’s John Greenberg, UNITE HERE Local 1 reached an agreement with Compass Levy on a new CBA. A vote on the new deal is expected soon, but all signs seem to point to the contract going through.
- At this point, I wouldn’t at all mind seeing Monty return. He continues to be an underrated back.
- Zach LaVine and Gavin Hayes looking at each other like the Spider-Man meme.
