Bulls post ASG records and opponent schedules

[coldfish]

2014:
Started: 27-25
Finished: 21-9 (0.700 winning)

2013:
Started: 30-22
Finished: 15-15 (0.500 winning)

2012:
Started 27-8
Finished: 23-8 (0.741 winning)

2011:
Started:
Finished: 38-16
Finished: 24-4 (0.857 winning)

Total post ASG record for Thibodeau: 83-36 (0.697 winning, 57 win pace). That projects out to 20-8 to finish the year at 54-28

Basically, the Bulls under Thibs have generally closed the season well. In two of the years, they closed REALLY well compared to the first half. The Bulls schedule after the ASG is light, home heavy and with only 5 b2b games.

Chicago's competitors also have relatively easy schedules to finish the year though. Not quite as easy as Chicago but none of Washington, Toronto, Cleveland or Atlanta is going to go into some meat grinder. The Bulls have to start putting bad teams away and winning at home. I really don't see the Bulls having a shot at the 1 seed but anything from 2 to 5 is in play. I really want to see the Bulls finish the season:
- Healthy
- Sharp
- With the 2 seed
In that order. Should be an interesting stretch run.

Side note, the home/road mix finishing is in Chicago's favor. Cleveland and Toronto really go on the road a lot, where they aren't as good:
Atlanta: 13H 15A
Toronto: 11H 18A
Chicago: 15H 13A
Cleveland: 11H 16A
Washington: 13H 15A

[RedBulls23]

Something to note with Washington...they lost Beal to injury and I don't know when his return date is expected to be. That could be a big factor for them falling out of the top 3 and down to possibly even the 5th (or 6th depending on how the Bucks finish).

[BeatDaCavs420]

I said it before the cavs game how I really thought that game would be a game changer on the season,I know it was just a regular season game but I think it is going to have more of a impact on this team then most think,I feel like this team is going to get on fire and go on a streak! The way we dominated that game was great and now with the rest it couldn't of turned out any more perfect

Bulls are healthy and are on a mission!

League will be put on notice and will not want to face this team in the playoffs...believe that!!!

[TyrusRose2425]

People say seeding doesn't matter, but I really don't want a potential game 7 played in either Toronto or Cleveland. I've been to a Cleveland round 2 game before. You can't hear yourself since it gets so loud in there.

[Rerisen]

Bulls historically finish strong under Thibs, but maybe too strong? Burn out and peak before the playoffs?

Why its often easier for good teams to finish better, the dregs of the league have already given up and are tanking or playing their young guys. Some top teams also start looking for rest at the very end if either the seeding is set, or they simply decide preparing for the playoffs is more important than being 5 vs 6 or whatever.

[DanTown8587]

Bulls only have four games on the road against above .500 teams meaning their other games are either bad teams or at home.


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[Red Larrivee]

People say seeding doesn't matter, but I really don't want a potential game 7 played in either Toronto or Cleveland. I've been to a Cleveland round 2 game before. You can't hear yourself since it gets so loud in there.

Jocking for seeding usually heats up after the break. Personally, I still would rather go any route that avoids Washington and Cleveland (even though I agree that if you're championship caliber, you'll beat anyone regardless of circumstance).

If the season ended today, the Bulls would get Milwaukee in the 1st round and the winner of Toronto-Charlotte in the 2nd round. As long as Cleveland and Washington stay in the 4-5, the Bulls could have a favorable road to the ECF.

[ryannik09]

Best case scenario for the Bulls get the 2-seed and the standing shake out like below. WAS is tough matchup for the Bulls because Nene and Gortat will bully Gasol and he'll play poorly. The size of WAS and the guard play of WAS are really tough for Cleveland so let those two teams slug it out in the 1st rd then play Atl in the 2nd. Leaving the Bulls a weak Toronto team in the 2nd around and a Conference finals matchup with one of Atl, Cle or Was.

1. Atl
2. Chi
3. Tor
4. Cle
5. Was
6. Cha
7. Mil
8. Mia

[RedBulls23]

People say seeding doesn't matter, but I really don't want a potential game 7 played in either Toronto or Cleveland. I've been to a Cleveland round 2 game before. You can't hear yourself since it gets so loud in there.

Jocking for seeding usually heats up after the break. Personally, I still would rather go any route that avoids Washington and Cleveland (even though I agree that if you're championship caliber, you'll beat anyone regardless of circumstance).

If the season ended today, the Bulls would get Milwaukee in the 1st round and the winner of Toronto-Charlotte in the 2nd round. As long as Cleveland and Washington stay in the 4-5, the Bulls could have a favorable road to the ECF.

I completely agree with this.

Best case scenario for the Bulls is the way the standings are as of right now.

[maynardo]

The bulls have a very easy February now, but March it's really really hard, I can see the bulls getting to 40-20 and then something close to .500 the rest of the way, I expect something in between 50 and 54 wins at the end the season.

Toronto, will lose several games in Feb (really hard schedule), we'll prolly catch them by early March, but I don't think it will last.

[LOUDO]

I would absolutely love to see Washington play Cleveland in the first round

[bullboy18]

Bulls historically finish strong under Thibs, but maybe too strong? Burn out and peak before the playoffs?

Why its often easier for good teams to finish better, the dregs of the league have already given up and are tanking or playing their young guys. Some top teams also start looking for rest at the very end if either the seeding is set, or they simply decide preparing for the playoffs is more important than being 5 vs 6 or whatever.

No such thing as finishing too strong. The Bulls havent really been burnt out or peak too early. If you are talking last year, the team had like 7 nba caliber players at the time and it was a bad matchup with the wizards. And really if Taj had just played more than Boozer, our chances would have improved though barely. Since Taj and Noah on the floor outscore the wizards compared to Boozer and who ever. And we choked a lot last year.

The year before, we got to the 2nd round without Luol, Noah had bad feet, and some other injuries I cant think of off the top of my head. That team overachieved and got to the 2nd round.

2012 was Rose going down, but no team that year had a chance against the bulls, not even the heat. I dont care what people say, that team was on a mission and wasnt going to lose.

2011 we went to the ECFs.

So I dont see any year where we really peaked too early or got burnt out. If you are claiming some injuries mean burnt out, which I dont personally, then ya I guess. But that wouldnt really make sense to me claiming injuries=burning out. I hope we finish with a 700 record or better in the last 28 games. So a 20-8 finish at worst. Would prefer a 22-6 with how easy our schedule is though.

[bullboy18]

Also, especially with Beals injury, and with how the Bucks are playing. If we finish in the 3 seed, I mentioned this in another thread, I could see the Wizards tanking to the 6th seed since they have confidence playing us and thinking they would be able to beat us in a 7 game series again. Id have us in 5-6 against them this year, regardless of what their record is against us in the last 7 games. Id guess theyd wanna avoid Cleveland though they have a great matchup against cleveland with their bigs.

[Ctownbulls]

Washington would beat us in a series. Need to avoid them. They have our number and our a bad matchup for us.

It's funny...toronto can't beat the bulls, bulls can't beat washington, Washington can't beat toronto

All about match ups. Although for some reason Gortat and nene play out of their ass against the Bulls.

[Shill]

I'd prefer not to see Cleveland in the first round, but it doesn't really matter if we're not playing near our best. We'll lose to anybody in the first round if we're playing crappily like we have for maddening spurts this year.

[Flopper]

One thing to consider about the 2 seed is that it could potentially be a first round match-up with the Pacers, assuming Paul George comes back in March as planned and they string together some wins. Third seed could potentially be better for first round opponents, but of course you're giving up HC in the second barring an upset in the 2-7 bracket.

[dice]

Washington would beat us in a series. Need to avoid them.

if we're thinking like this we're not a true contender

[dice]

If we finish in the 3 seed, I mentioned this in another thread, I could see the Wizards tanking to the 6th seed since they have confidence playing us

if we finish with the 3rd seed, there are no games left for the wizards to tank

[kuly1990]

so George will come back, and they will automatically start winning, not sure about that, there will be some rust there, but he should come back to prepare for next season!

[dice]

Bulls only have four games on the road against above .500 teams meaning their other games are either bad teams or at home.

not that it would matter if this team's bipolar performance continues, but that's an interesting stat. cleveland and toronto will have 8 and 7 such games, respectively