THE Chicago Bulls make other teams uncomfortable in the 2024 NBA play-in tournament, or maybe even the actual playoffs? It was a question laid by Zach Harper of The Athletic in a recent article that acknowledges the Bulls’ late rise in the standings while questioning its permanence.
“Are we confident the Bulls can make the playoffs?” Harper asks fairly. “They had a huge scare in the last (Miami Heat) play-in tournament, and we’ve seen them have some pretty big moments this season. I don’t think beating (the Atlanta Hawks) for a chance at the No. 8 seed is crazy.
But between injuries and the inexperience of several players who would be playing heavy minutes in the playoffs for the first time, it’s fair to wonder if Chicago’s recent play will translate to the postseason.
The list of potential opponents for the second play-in, as the Athletic analyst notes, could be the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers, all ballclubs that could be favored to advance.
“If the Bulls are successful, can they use their size to make Boston work a little harder in the first round and maybe even steal a game?”
Or would this team be better off with a higher draft pick after a noble struggle to advance? Time will tell, one thing we know for sure.
