© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Report gives the Chicago Bulls' season a C
If the dictionary had a picture beside the word “average,” chances are it would be a picture of the Chicago Bulls. With a 29-32 record, the Bulls continue chasing the elusive .500 mark and a spot in the Play-In Tournament. Although the Bulls are entertaining to watch, showcasing a gritty brand of basketball representing the city of Chicago, their performance this season has left fans feeling underwhelmed.
“Competitive”
A term Chicago’s front-office leaders have associated the team with this season is “competitive.” And while they have been competitive, their inconsistency has hindered them from reaching their full potential. Game after game, fans are left frustrated as the Bulls often fall behind by huge margins before trying to mount comebacks. This has resulted in a mediocre record, unable to even reach .500.
“They can at least compete with just about anyone on a given night, but there are very few (if any) playoff contenders you'd expect to lose a series against them,” Andy Bailey wrote.
Injury-ravaged season
To be fair, the Bulls have had unpleasant luck regarding injuries to numerous key players. Zach LaVine missed a huge chunk of games before getting ruled out for the rest of the season to undergo foot surgery. Patrick Williams has also gone through the same path, opting to undergo surgery to repair an ailing foot.
However, all that doesn’t mask the fact that this Bulls squad remains in NBA purgatory and will remain there until something drastic happens this offseason.
“It might be tempting to say you'd expect more of the Bulls with Zach LaVine, but even before an injury ended his season, the team was significantly better without him on the floor. What they've stumbled into since he left the rotation is a grind-it-out, statistically mediocre style that will keep them in the basketball purgatory they've inhabited for years,” Bailey added.
