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Pippen Ain’t Easy Roundtable: Discussing the Biggest Chicago Bulls Stories Heading Into December

By Matthew Price

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 10, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) dunks the ball as Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (R) looks on against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) dunks the ball as Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (R) looks on against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Can the Bulls actually keep on winning?

Matthew Price: The Bulls are 10-6 at this point, good for third place in the Eastern Conference. Do you buy the Bulls as playoff contenders, and if so, where do you think they’ll end up?

Alex Kirschenbaum: I don’t buy their current roster as being anything better than runners-up to the Cleveland Cavaliers. And this is a shame, because Jimmy Butler is playing like an MVP. The Bulls’ big holes at point guard (both their starter and his immediate backups) and their thin wing depth would be exposed over a seven-game series against Cleveland. I like their chances against all other comers, though, because they would have the best player on the floor in any other matchup, and that can cover up a lot of roster flaws.

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    • I think they’ll end up anywhere from a 2-seed to a 6-seed, and escape the first round of the playoffs. The Eastern Conference is really a diluted toss-up outside of the 1-seed (the Toronto Raptors still need a power forward, and if they don’t get one… they’re toast), the Bulls could make it all the way to the Conference Finals if they can steer clear of Cleveland before then. They could also implode with miserable point guard play in the second round.

    Michael Whitlow: That’s the hilarious thing. The Bulls are in third place in the Eastern Conference. This team makes no sense, so of course they could definitely make the playoffs. I still don’t buy how good they are right now. It just doesn’t seem sustainable. Jimmy Butler is out of his mind in the early going. Dwyane Wade can’t miss from deep. Rajon Rondo hasn’t thrown a fit yet. They’re catching everyone on the second game of back-to-back sets it seems.

    Nothing means nothing, Matthew. Having said that, yes … the Bulls can make the playoffs. But no, they probably don’t go far if they do.

    Hunter Kuffel:  What do we mean by contender? I would be shocked at this point if the Bulls missed the playoffs — they’ve won enough games without worrying about shooting 3-pointers and I think that should continue enough. I’m not ready to put them in the upper echelon of the East though. Keep in mind, four of the Bulls’ 10 wins have come against teams on the second night of back to backs, two more have come against the Blazers without Al-Farouq Aminu and the Jazz without George Hill, and two more have come against the Nets and the Sixers (without Joel “The Process” Embiid). The Bulls have started off to a pleasant surprise, but let’s wait until mid-December until we think about playoff contention.

    Ryne Prinz: Prior to the beginning of the season, I was very much skeptical of the Bulls’ playoff chances, and I’m still not entirely sold. Their schedule thus far hasn’t been challenging to say the least. Out of their ten wins, they’ve beaten the Sixers, Lakers, Wizards, Heat, Nets and Magic, all of whom project to miss the playoffs. That being said, I’d imagine the Bulls will find a spot in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, probably falling behind Boston, Charlotte and Atlanta come the postseason for the fifth seed. I’m not holding my breath.

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