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5 key games to watch for the Chicago Bulls in 2017-18 NBA season

BLOOMINGTON, MN - JUNE 29: Tom Thibobeau introduces Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves to the public during a press conference at the Mall of America on June 29, 2017 in Bloomington, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, MN - JUNE 29: Tom Thibobeau introduces Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves to the public during a press conference at the Mall of America on June 29, 2017 in Bloomington, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
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With the 2017-18 NBA schedule officially released, the Chicago Bulls have their 82-game slate ready to go. Here’s five of their most intriguing games of the season.

The Chicago Bulls will be a completely different team heading into the 2017-18 NBA season and that’s in large part to the summer they just went through.

Jimmy Butler is gone. The best player from last year’s team (and the year before that) is gone and the rebuild is officially on for the youth-filled Bulls roster. It’s truly a new day in Chicago for one of the two franchises that calls the United Center home each year.

Until two seasons ago, the Bulls hadn’t missed the playoffs since the 2007-08 season. That means they made the postseason seven straight seasons before missing the playoffs in Fred Hoiberg‘s rookie season of 2015-16 on the sideline. Unfortunately for the Bulls, they won’t be seeing the playoffs again for quite a while.

Despite how poor the Eastern Conference has become, the Bulls on paper are one of the one teams in the entire league. It’s bad, but it’s good. They’ve been here before.

Don’t let the success Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and Tom Thibodeau brought to Chicago distract you from the fact that the Bulls were basically a lottery team every season from 1999 to 2005. It’s going to tough for Bulls fans to swallow this pill, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel if they can rebuild probably with youth. The kids are going to get their chance to shine this season and beyond.

With that being said, here’s five games that should be circled on your calendars this season for the Bulls, starting with some honorable mention games and then a matchup against the best team in basketball today.

Honorable mention games to keep an eye on this season for the Chicago Bulls:

  • The Bulls have a weird home-and-home set late in the season with the Brooklyn Nets again this year. Each team will host a game at home on April 7 (in Chicago) and April 9 (in Brooklyn).
  • Divisional games this season: Indiana (11/10, 12/6, 12/29, 1/6), Milwaukee (12/15, 12/26, 1/28, 3/23), Detroit (1/13, 3/9, 3/24, 4/11) and Cleveland (10/24, 12/4, 12/21 and 3/17).
  • No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball and the Los Angeles Lakers come to town one time this season: January 26. LaVar Ball should have some things to say about Michael Jordan before that game, huh?
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