Play In, Playoffs, Success

[Chi town]

Well the tank is shot with Bulls going an unlikely 8-2 on the backs of Giddey and Coby. Vuc is no longer a main option and Buz and Dalen are emerging. Tre Jones back by end of regular season and maybe Zo too.

Looks like we could nab the 8th seed and play the Hawks and win that to get the 7th seed and play the Celtics.

Maybe the Magic hold on and we have to beat the Heat and Magic to get the 8th seed and play the Cavs.

What is your desired play in playoff path?
- Mine is the Celts. Get one win and go down to the Champs teaching our guys how far they need to come.

I’m also fine being beat in the play in for some fluky 3pt barrage from the other team and keeping our lottery ticket. Don’t see Giddey and Coby letting g this team lose a play in.

Bulls greatest piece they need outside a #1 option is a stud defensive C and mid teens is a good place to land to get one.

[kodo]

Doesn't matter to much to me, either CLE or BOS is a 4-1 gentleman's sweep at best. Just playing to avoid a real sweep I guess.

And I'd be wary of getting too far ahead of ourselves, still have to win 1 or 2 games in the play-in. Anything can happen, it's not like we get a series against our play-in opponents. Coby gets cold for 1 night, could be over.

[2weekswithpay]

Cavs. If we're the 8th seed we pick one spot ahead.

[jacoby1us]

I am still in disbelief that this team is actually trying to win games versus positioning themselves for a higher draft pick. Its some really good talent available in the top 5-7 picks this year. If the Bulls are unlucky enough to win out the play-in and play the Celtics or Cavs in the first round they will be swept.

[jnrjr79]

I am still in disbelief that this team is actually trying to win games versus positioning themselves for a higher draft pick. Its some really good talent available in the top 5-7 picks this year. If the Bulls are unlucky enough to win out the play-in and play the Celtics or Cavs in the first round they will be swept.

I don't really understand this criticism. The Bulls traded away DeRozan, Caruso, and LaVine. If they're winning because of the efforts of their young players, there's nothing to really do about it.

[ChettheJet]

Play in hasn't been around long enough to determine how that's going to go. But Playoff basketball is half court offense, rebounding and solid defense. The Bulls have been winning playing at pace, fast, transition and driving downhill. We'll have to see if they can adjust from the fast pace they've been playing. Giddey and if Lonzo and maybe Jones can return give them 2-3 guys to control the pace and run the offense. Coby has been going wild but can he slow it down in the half court, Buzelis has looked very good but the pressure is more than on for a rookie. Same for Phillips and Terry. How much has PWill learned from being mentored to show up.

You're going to act like everybody on the Bulls can get it done. Nobody has much playoff experience and the playoffs are different whether you want to believe it or not Why do you think you see so many upsets and top seeds lose in the 1st or 2nd round.

[meekrab]

I am still in disbelief that this team is actually trying to win games versus positioning themselves for a higher draft pick. Its some really good talent available in the top 5-7 picks this year. If the Bulls are unlucky enough to win out the play-in and play the Celtics or Cavs in the first round they will be swept.

I don't really understand this criticism. The Bulls traded away DeRozan, Caruso, and LaVine. If they're winning because of the efforts of their young players, there's nothing to really do about it.

Yeah what are we supposed to do, make up a fake injury to bench our 22 year old PG?

The team did actually go 4-11 in the first 15 games without Zach btw. It's just that the rest of the east is so **** terrible that we moved UP in the standings during that run. There was no point trying to tank 50 games into the season when we're basically unable to get worse than 11th, let the kids go up against Cleveland or Boston and get their asses kicked and maybe scrape out a win or two to build on over the summer.

[Jcool0]

I am still in disbelief that this team is actually trying to win games versus positioning themselves for a higher draft pick. Its some really good talent available in the top 5-7 picks this year. If the Bulls are unlucky enough to win out the play-in and play the Celtics or Cavs in the first round they will be swept.

I don't really understand this criticism. The Bulls traded away DeRozan, Caruso, and LaVine. If they're winning because of the efforts of their young players, there's nothing to really do about it.

Huerter and Jones have been big contributors to wins.

[jnrjr79]

I am still in disbelief that this team is actually trying to win games versus positioning themselves for a higher draft pick. Its some really good talent available in the top 5-7 picks this year. If the Bulls are unlucky enough to win out the play-in and play the Celtics or Cavs in the first round they will be swept.

I don't really understand this criticism. The Bulls traded away DeRozan, Caruso, and LaVine. If they're winning because of the efforts of their young players, there's nothing to really do about it.

Huerter and Jones have been big contributors to wins.

Huerter and Jones have been ok, it's true, but they are complementary pieces. Huerter is averaging 29 minutes, which is a good role, but shooting 41%. To the extent he's rehabbed his trade value, that may ultimately be a good thing. Tre Jones playing well may be a good thing, too, looking at it big picture, to the extent you've maybe found a rotation piece you want to keep. That's less true if he walks, obviously. But this team is winning due to Coby and Giddey, by and large.

It's not really realistic to ask Billy to bench vets for no reason. IMO, if you want to tank, that's a GM job, not a coaching job, for the most part. AK has to deprive Billy of winning talent if that's the route you want to go.

[Jcool0]

I don't really understand this criticism. The Bulls traded away DeRozan, Caruso, and LaVine. If they're winning because of the efforts of their young players, there's nothing to really do about it.

Huerter and Jones have been big contributors to wins.

Huerter and Jones have been ok, it's true, but they are complementary pieces. Huerter is averaging 29 minutes, which is a good role, but shooting 41%. To the extent he's rehabbed his trade value, that may ultimately be a good thing. Tre Jones playing well may be a good thing, too, looking at it big picture, to the extent you've maybe found a rotation piece you want to keep. That's less true if he walks, obviously. But this team is winning due to Coby and Giddey, by and large.

It's not really realistic to ask Billy to bench vets for no reason. IMO, if you want to tank, that's a GM job, not a coaching job, for the most part. AK has to deprive Billy of winning talent if that's the route you want to go.

Bulls would not be a play in team without those two. Are they long term pieces? No. But if AK had traded them like he tried. Bulls would be a top 10 drafting team.

[MalagaBulls]

I am still in disbelief that this team is actually trying to win games versus positioning themselves for a higher draft pick. Its some really good talent available in the top 5-7 picks this year. If the Bulls are unlucky enough to win out the play-in and play the Celtics or Cavs in the first round they will be swept.

I don't really understand this criticism. The Bulls traded away DeRozan, Caruso, and LaVine. If they're winning because of the efforts of their young players, there's nothing to really do about it.

Yup, was blind but now I see. There is no way to morally corrupt the will of Giddey, Buz, & Coby to tank. They all come to play ever night and it is starting to show. Add in Terry, Collins, Lonzo, & Jones and you have the skeleton of a team that won't quit this season.

[League Circles]

Jones is young enough and good enough to be potentially a long term piece. Huerter hasn't been very good frankly. If Ayo and Ball and Patrick weren't hurt he wouldn't have been playing much IMO. And trading them may have accidentally brought back just as "helpful" of players. Not like Kevin Huerter was going to bring back a good draft pick or something.

I hope we win the championship. If not, the EC finals or 2nd round would be great. Missing the playoffs and getting lucky with a top 4 pick would be better than a first round loss, but the reality was and is probably drafting 10th-11th vs drafting 16th. Neither range probably gets me somebody I'm excited about relative to the other guys we already have. At 16th you at least pay less for the player due to rookie scale, get our core playoff experience and confidence, and may save us from ourselves cause the fit of the guys at 16 might be better than the fit of the guys at 11 or 12 IMO.

[jnrjr79]

Huerter and Jones have been big contributors to wins.

Huerter and Jones have been ok, it's true, but they are complementary pieces. Huerter is averaging 29 minutes, which is a good role, but shooting 41%. To the extent he's rehabbed his trade value, that may ultimately be a good thing. Tre Jones playing well may be a good thing, too, looking at it big picture, to the extent you've maybe found a rotation piece you want to keep. That's less true if he walks, obviously. But this team is winning due to Coby and Giddey, by and large.

It's not really realistic to ask Billy to bench vets for no reason. IMO, if you want to tank, that's a GM job, not a coaching job, for the most part. AK has to deprive Billy of winning talent if that's the route you want to go.

Bulls would not be a play in team without those two. Are they long term pieces? No. But if AK had traded them like he tried. Bulls would be a top 10 drafting team.

Lol, the idea that Kevin freaking Huerter prevents you from tanking is quite a take.

[Jcool0]

Huerter and Jones have been ok, it's true, but they are complementary pieces. Huerter is averaging 29 minutes, which is a good role, but shooting 41%. To the extent he's rehabbed his trade value, that may ultimately be a good thing. Tre Jones playing well may be a good thing, too, looking at it big picture, to the extent you've maybe found a rotation piece you want to keep. That's less true if he walks, obviously. But this team is winning due to Coby and Giddey, by and large.

It's not really realistic to ask Billy to bench vets for no reason. IMO, if you want to tank, that's a GM job, not a coaching job, for the most part. AK has to deprive Billy of winning talent if that's the route you want to go.

Bulls would not be a play in team without those two. Are they long term pieces? No. But if AK had traded them like he tried. Bulls would be a top 10 drafting team.

Lol, the idea that Kevin freaking Huerter prevents you from tanking is quite a take.

Pretty sure no one saw that coming including AK. He is averaging 33 MPG 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in March and has an on/off of +14.5

[League Circles]

Bulls would not be a play in team without those two. Are they long term pieces? No. But if AK had traded them like he tried. Bulls would be a top 10 drafting team.

Lol, the idea that Kevin freaking Huerter prevents you from tanking is quite a take.

Pretty sure no one saw that coming including AK. He is averaging 33 MPG 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in March and has an on/off of +14.5

I think you're placing waaaay too much weight in the +14.5. that would make him the best player on our team this year by far, which no one even remotely believes. His scoring and shooting numbers are sub par. He's definitely been the least of the 3 guys we got for Zach. He has been solid, but he's not driving any wins.

[Jcool0]

Lol, the idea that Kevin freaking Huerter prevents you from tanking is quite a take.

Pretty sure no one saw that coming including AK. He is averaging 33 MPG 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in March and has an on/off of +14.5

I think you're placing waaaay too much weight in the +14.5. that would make him the best player on our team this year by far, which no one even remotely believes. His scoring and shooting numbers are sub par. He's definitely been the least of the 3 guys we got for Zach. He has been solid, but he's not driving any wins.

No where did i say future MVP Huerter. Not sure why you think that. But if you dont think he is contributing to wins. Then you are just wrong. There is a reason he was playing in crunch time in the 4th and Matas wasn't.

[jnrjr79]

Pretty sure no one saw that coming including AK. He is averaging 33 MPG 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in March and has an on/off of +14.5

I think you're placing waaaay too much weight in the +14.5. that would make him the best player on our team this year by far, which no one even remotely believes. His scoring and shooting numbers are sub par. He's definitely been the least of the 3 guys we got for Zach. He has been solid, but he's not driving any wins.

No where did i say future MVP Huerter. Not sure why you think that. But if you dont think he is contributing to wins. Then you are just wrong. There is a reason he was playing in crunch time in the 4th and Matas wasn't.

I mean, contributing, sure. But the guy averaging 30.6 and 4.5 over his last 10 is the biggest reason and the guy averaging 21.8/9.9/9.6 over his last 10 is the other.

Kevin Huerter is not the reason the Bulls aren’t tanking. It’s the young guys coming into their own and a relatively weak schedule of late. This is why I’m not as mad as I’d otherwise be about their failure to engineer a better position in the draft.

[League Circles]

Pretty sure no one saw that coming including AK. He is averaging 33 MPG 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in March and has an on/off of +14.5

I think you're placing waaaay too much weight in the +14.5. that would make him the best player on our team this year by far, which no one even remotely believes. His scoring and shooting numbers are sub par. He's definitely been the least of the 3 guys we got for Zach. He has been solid, but he's not driving any wins.

No where did i say future MVP Huerter. Not sure why you think that. But if you dont think he is contributing to wins. Then you are just wrong. There is a reason he was playing in crunch time in the 4th and Matas wasn't.

Umm, where did I say that you said he's a future MVP?

I mean, he's been playing, and we've been winning. Is Billy infallible in terms of always playing the guys giving us the best chance to win? Of course he isn't. He's been playing Vuc big minutes over multiple better centers the past two seasons.

What's relevant is whether he's helping us more or less than the alternatives were. That was supposed to be Ball, Ayo, and Patrick, and I suppose Terry. Kevin has had to play a lot due to injuries to 3 of those guys. It's not at all clear that he's helping more than they would have.

[Jcool0]

I think you're placing waaaay too much weight in the +14.5. that would make him the best player on our team this year by far, which no one even remotely believes. His scoring and shooting numbers are sub par. He's definitely been the least of the 3 guys we got for Zach. He has been solid, but he's not driving any wins.

No where did i say future MVP Huerter. Not sure why you think that. But if you dont think he is contributing to wins. Then you are just wrong. There is a reason he was playing in crunch time in the 4th and Matas wasn't.

I mean, contributing, sure. But the guy averaging 30.6 and 4.5 over his last 10 is the biggest reason and the guy averaging 21.8/9.9/9.6 over his last 10 is the other.

Kevin Huerter is not the reason the Bulls aren’t tanking. It’s the young guys coming into their own and a relatively weak schedule of late. This is why I’m not as mad as I’d otherwise be about their failure to engineer a better position in the draft.

Oh i get it you think this is some kind of slight on Coby and Giddey... Its not. Ive been cheer-leading Giddey since he got here.

[NecessaryEvil]

I want to play the Celtics. It’s good for the NBA. I think a strong series, on that stage would put us in the line sight of young stars around the NBA.