Chicago Bulls: Season Openers in The Last Five Years

Oct 19, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; The Chicago Bulls huddle before the start of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2015-16 season opener close at hand, here’s a look at the Chicago Bulls in the last five season openers, starting with the 2010-11 season opener.

The 2015-16 NBA season begins on Tuesday night with three games, including a playoff rematch between the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Chicago.

The Cavaliers eliminated the Bulls in six games during the postseason last May, but it was no small task. After taking two of the first three games against Cleveland, the Bulls would lose three straight, including two at United Center.

But, it’s the start of a new era for the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night. Fred Hoiberg was brought in as the new head coach of the Bulls to open up things for the Bulls offensively and to help the Bulls get over the “LeBron hump” in the playoffs.

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Outside of Mike Dunleavy — who is recovering from offseason back surgery — the Bulls will be as close as they can be to 100 percent entering the franchise’s 50th season in the NBA. Derrick Rose had surgery to repair a fracture to his left orbital bone in September, but Rose returned this past Friday and will be a starter for Tuesday night’s opener.

Along with the returning Rose, the Bulls will start Jimmy Butler, Tony Snell (in place of Dunleavy), second-year man Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol in the season opener.

Speaking of season openers, let’s take a look at how the Bulls have fared in regular season openers since their rise back towards the top-tier teams in the NBA during the 2010-11 season.

Next: 2014-15: Bulls trounce Knicks at MSG