Pippen Ain't Easy
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Late Season Play Determining the Bulls’ Bleak Playoff Fate

By Nick Jordan

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Mar 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel (4) defends against Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) during the first half at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

I am happy we can just have this argument with the Bulls. How many teams can say if everything goes right, they have a legitimate chance at winning the title? Maybe around five or six teams in the NBA have a shot at the Finals. In the NFL and MLB, a team needs to just get into the playoffs, and then anything can happen from there. In the NBA, you need a team with experience, talent and no glaring holes. The best NBA team almost always wins the title. The Bulls at their best—in December—were arguably the best NBA team. I can write this article because I know almost everyone that reads it is going to disagree with me and say that they can get back to how they played in December. If this were 22 other NBA teams, there would be no argument on title chances. The Bulls have that chance, and even if the team is going to sputter out in the playoffs, they can still hold that over the majority of the NBA.

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Before the year, what would have you considered a successful season for the Bulls? Probably either getting to the Finals or winning it. At this point that looks less likely to happen than the odds the Bulls would redo trading two first-round picks for Doug McDermott. Would you really have been happy if I told you before the season the Bulls are going to have to fight for the no. 3 seed? What if I told you that Gasol was going to average 18.5 ppg and 11.8 rpg, Butler would be scoring 18.6 ppg, Mirotic would be arguably the best rookie in the league and the Bulls would still be struggling to get to 50 wins? I don’t think anyone would have been pleased knowing that before the year.

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It’s becoming harder and harder for me to watch Chicago as a Bulls fan over an NBA fan. I despise it, but I can’t fight it anymore. I see the Bulls every game. I can’t ignore how they play with each other and what they look like. They have a “dead team walking” look to them that they just can’t shake. We all saw the same look with the 2014 Pacers and knew they were doomed in the playoffs. But because we are watching players in jerseys that are red instead of yellow, we are fighting our instincts. And that makes sense; we have to always hold belief in our team.

The Bulls side of me believes this team is going to put it together in the eleventh hour, but the NBA side knows the end is near.

Man, I hope I’m wrong.

Next: Harsh Reality Is Looming for Chicago Bulls in Playoffs

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