Chicago Bulls are headed to the NBA Playoffs for first time in five years

The Bulls are going to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

The Chicago Bulls (45-35) clinched a spot in the 2022 NBA Playoffs after the Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday — solidifying the Bulls' top-six position in the Eastern Conference. 

It is the team's first playoff berth since the 2016-17 season, when the Bulls finished eighth in the conference with a 41-41 overall record.

As of Thursday morning, there is only a three-win difference between the first and fourth seeded teams in the conference. The Bulls, which have two games remaining in the regular season, could finish in either the fifth- or sixth-seed position. Because the standings are so close, it cannot yet be determined who Chicago's first playoff game will be against. 

Current Matchups: If The Playoffs Began Today

Eastern Conference

No. 1 seed Miami Heat (52-28) vs. No. 8 seed Brooklyn Nets (42-38)

No. 2 seed Boston Celtics (50-30) vs. No. 7 seed Cleveland Cavaliers (43-37)

No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks (49-30) vs. No. 6 seed Chicago Bulls (45-35)

No. 4 seed Philadelphia 76ers (4-30) vs. No. 5 seed Toronto Raptors (46-33)

Lottery Bound

No. 9 seed Atlanta Hawks (42-38)

No. 10 seed Charlotte Hornets (40-39)

No. 11 seed Washington Wizards (35-45)

No. 12 seed New York Knicks (35-45)

No. 13 seed Indiana Pacers (25-55)

No. 14 seed Detroit Pistons (23-57)

No. 15 seed Orlando Magic (21-59)

Western Conference

No. 1 seed Phoenix Suns (63-17) vs. No. 8 seed Los Angeles Clippers (40-40)

No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies (55-24) vs. No. 7 seed Minnesota Timberwolves (45-35)

No. 3 seed Golden State Warriors (50-29) vs. No. 6 seed Denver Nuggets (47-33)

No. 4 seed Dallas Mavericks (50-30) vs. No. 5 seed Utah Jazz (48-32)

Lottery Bound

No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans (35-44)

No. 10 San Antonio Spurs (34-45)

No. 11 Los Angeles Lakers (31-48)

No. 12 Sacramento Kings (29-51)

No. 13 Portland Trail Blazers (27-52)

No. 14 Oklahoma City Thunder (24-56)

No. 15 Houston Rockets (20-60)

2022 NBA Playoff Schedule

The 2022 Play-In Tournament will be played April 12-15. The 2022 Playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 16. Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be on June 2.