Board opinion: do we want to beat Miami?

[Guru]

Well those in favor of the 12 pick are hoping for the slim chance of moving up to the top 4 spots I’d say.

As a fan you don't root against your team for a 7% chance at a top 4 pick.

Agreed, considering how vastly different this team has played since the trade deadline with a young core now and playing extremely well with so many new faces, you need to play to win.

The team is 17-14 since trading Lavine
16-8 since after the losing streak just after that trade
15-5 in their last 20.
They are tied for the 5th best record over their last 20 games in the league.

Imagine wanting to derail that

[Guru]

Isn’t the lottery odds set based on regular season record regardless of whether we get through the playoffs or not?

Playoff teams aren't in the lottery.

And they don't reorder based on where you end up in the playoffs What that means is that when we win the whole damn thing we still pick 15.

[HomoSapien]

This team is good. I want the playoffs.

[NecessaryEvil]

We are trending up. I want the playoffs. The new core needs it and the city needs it. If we lost to Miami, I’d be surprised at this point. A chance at the top 4 is still good consolation prize.

[bullskokie]

We are trending up. I want the playoffs. The new core needs it and the city needs it. If we lost to Miami, I’d be surprised at this point. A chance at the top 4 is still good consolation prize.

This! For me, we already overachieved for this season. I am so excited for next year…

[sco]

As a fan you don't root against your team for a 7% chance at a top 4 pick.

Agreed, considering how vastly different this team has played since the trade deadline with a young core now and playing extremely well with so many new faces, you need to play to win.

The team is 17-14 since trading Lavine
16-8 since after the losing streak just after that trade
15-5 in their last 20.
They are tied for the 5th best record over their last 20 games in the league.

Imagine wanting to derail that

To be clear though, I think during their last 20 games they may have played 5 or 6 of those games against .500 or better teams, and lost most of those. There are so many teams that are tanking this season, it is nuts. Now, I think we are very much on par with the other play-in teams. I think we would have been just that little bit better if we had Ball or Jones instead of Terry and THT rounding out the rotation.

[GoBlue72391]

Isn’t the lottery odds set based on regular season record regardless of whether we get through the playoffs or not?

Wait, is this true? So theoretically a 10 seed can win the championship and still luck out in the lottery and get the 1st pick?

[Dez]

As a fan you don't root against your team for a 7% chance at a top 4 pick.

Agreed, considering how vastly different this team has played since the trade deadline with a young core now and playing extremely well with so many new faces, you need to play to win.

The team is 17-14 since trading Lavine
16-8 since after the losing streak just after that trade
15-5 in their last 20.
They are tied for the 5th best record over their last 20 games in the league.

Imagine wanting to derail that

We had one of the easiest schedules in the league, context matters.

[Dez]

Would prefer to have a chance no matter how minuscule at moving up in the draft to the top 4 but won't be angry if they make the playoffs.

[MrSparkle]

Isn’t the lottery odds set based on regular season record regardless of whether we get through the playoffs or not?

Wait, is this true? So theoretically a 10 seed can win the championship and still luck out in the lottery and get the 1st pick?

No; the winner of the play-in automatically takes the losers' lottery position (12-14 depending on overall conference standings), even with a worse record. All in all, it's a very stupid system. If the Warriors happen to lose all their play-in games (assuming they don't make 6-seed today), then they get the 14th pick while Sacramento or Chicago (in the event they make post-season) hypothetically get 15 or 16.

[kodo]

Agreed, considering how vastly different this team has played since the trade deadline with a young core now and playing extremely well with so many new faces, you need to play to win.

The team is 17-14 since trading Lavine
16-8 since after the losing streak just after that trade
15-5 in their last 20.
They are tied for the 5th best record over their last 20 games in the league.

Imagine wanting to derail that

To be clear though, I think during their last 20 games they may have played 5 or 6 of those games against .500 or better teams, and lost most of those. There are so many teams that are tanking this season, it is nuts. Now, I think we are very much on par with the other play-in teams. I think we would have been just that little bit better if we had Ball or Jones instead of Terry and THT rounding out the rotation.

Also it's not the first time the Bulls have been good post ASG.
2023 team featuring Lavine/Derozan had the #1 defense and #3 net rating in the league.
Still ultimately was a treadmill team.

This season post ASG we're
#16 offense, #11 defense
#10 net rating

Still this team is led by a 22 year old so has a future.

[Muzbar]

Seeing as the Bulls could very well be picking 13th after a tie breaker lose, may as well punch for the playoffs, give these young guys some playoff experience, even if they get throttled, it helps to evaluate what you've got.

It will be a true test for Giddey and Coby to see if they can adjust as the defense adjusts to them.

Picking 12/13 or 15 doesn't matter anymore, the tank died 2 months ago.

Let's see what Giddey and Coby can do in a playoff atmosphere.

[Indomitable]

I want a versatile defender or big man with growth potential

[ChettheJet]

There's a name for people who prefer to move up 1-3 slots in the draft over winning in the playoffs, the name is LOSER. Your imaginary gain 4 year down the road from drafting some 19 year old who could be anywhere from RoY to flat out buster is a joke. Grab what you can now. What about FAs who are going to get the same basic contract from any of 4 teams do they pick the one who terminally loses at the end of the season, makes a quick exit from the play in or playoffs? No and you know why? When they sign with that loser team they don't just have the pressure of upping their game slightly, the spotlight is on them to make this team better to get well past the show up and lose bunch they've been, and the reason players don't want to walk in and be the guy pulling his new team up is he's got to play next to 6-9 guys who haven't learned to win those final games to advance and if they fail like they always have HE gets the blame.

[cocktailswith_2short]

Hell yes I want to win . Playoff experience for our young guys would do a lot for their development .that and I just love watching a couple more bulls games .

[jnrjr79]

There's a name for people who prefer to move up 1-3 slots in the draft over winning in the playoffs, the name is LOSER. Your imaginary gain 4 year down the road from drafting some 19 year old who could be anywhere from RoY to flat out buster is a joke. Grab what you can now. What about FAs who are going to get the same basic contract from any of 4 teams do they pick the one who terminally loses at the end of the season, makes a quick exit from the play in or playoffs? No and you know why? When they sign with that loser team they don't just have the pressure of upping their game slightly, the spotlight is on them to make this team better to get well past the show up and lose bunch they've been, and the reason players don't want to walk in and be the guy pulling his new team up is he's got to play next to 6-9 guys who haven't learned to win those final games to advance and if they fail like they always have HE gets the blame.

For those that would prefer not to make the playoffs, I assume that's motivated more by having a chance, albeit a slim one, of moving into the top four. I doubt it's much about 12 vs. 15.

[cocktailswith_2short]

Yeah it's hoping for the loss then betting on a 4 percent chance of moving up right ? I'd rather watch a few playoff games .

[jnrjr79]

Yeah it's hoping for the loss then betting on a 4 percent chance of moving up right ? I'd rather watch a few playoff games .

I think it's 6-something percent, according to Tankathon.

If the Bulls make it out of the play-in, I'll enjoy seeing it, but making the real playoffs and getting waxed by Cleveland doesn't sound all that fun to me.

I don't really care for what people root for, either way, though. It's not like it affects the outcome. Whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen.

[Red Larrivee]

I really don't see either option as a losing one.

- If they make the playoffs, then they get a chance to promote this young team to the rest of the league.
- If they don't make the playoffs, then there's a slight chance we jump into the Top-4.

As much as I would love to add a good prospect to this team, there are other ways to improve this team going forward. Having a good showcase on a national stage supports that. Hell, maybe they end up with a solid piece in the draft after a playoff series loss.

Whatever happens, I won't be upset.

[The Force.]

Playoffs would be ideal to evaluate Giddey/Coby and set a precedent for contact negotiations.

Although I do maintain a glimmer of hope that the NBA would rig this one for us if we stayed in the lottery.