Despite an 8-11 record and sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, the Chicago Bulls are four quarters away from clinching a spot in the eight-team NBA Cup playoff bracket. This would create quite a shockwave in the organization and arguably could be just as harmful as it would be optimistic regarding the future. While winning is always exciting, if the ultimate goal remains an NBA Championship, failing to make the final eight could spark change faster than if the Bulls were to advance. Qualifying for bracket play will almost surely give false hope and extra revenue to the franchise, triggering more inactivity in the inevitable upcoming rebuild phase.
Nonetheless, the only thing standing between Chicago and a spot in the last eight teams in the NBA Cup is the reigning NBA Champion 15-3 Boston Celtics. How can Chicago peak that mountain, and what would it show the organization has done differently this season?
The good news on Friday night is that the Bulls will host the Celtics. The bad news? Boston is 15-3, including 8-1 on the road, and has seven players averaging more than ten points. Their offensive attack is the most potent in the NBA, and their defense is the most stifling. As the 2023 NBA Champions, they have a surplus of playoff pedigree and five former All-Stars. Chicago’s best attempt at beating this loaded roster is to light them on fire from three-point range. Currently, in the top three in three-point attempts and shooting percentage, the Bulls can score in bunches and have a flurry of deep-range threats. A win on Friday night would likely mean a vintage performance from Zach LaVine, Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, or some combination of the trio.
Currently 2-1 and leading the East Group C in point differential with a plus 15 mark, the Bulls are in control of their destiny. There is one wildcard spot up for grabs, but with a loss, Chicago would need several upsets to occur and point differentials to shake out perfectly in their favor. The most likely scenario is if they win, they are in, lose, and they’re eliminated.
The prospect of Chicago advancing in the midseason Emirates NBA Cup doesn’t benefit a rebuild in any form. Winning on Friday would indicate to the franchise that they can compete with the league’s best team(s) and generate more revenue in the mini-playoff bracket of eight teams. Losing Friday, the heavily expected outcome, would not push the needle to sell their aging assets as the two teams ahead of us in the East Group C for this scenario would be the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers and Celtics. This result would create the narrative that they beat the teams they should have, Atlanta and Washington, while suffering losses against the NBA’s best two clubs through the first part of the year.
Can Chicago pull off the upset and give the fanbase a playoff-like atmosphere for the first time in over two years, or will they flop on the big stage and be put away silently to match the trend of the last several seasons?
