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Chicago Bulls: Starting February the right way

By Luke Askew

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 25: Chicago Bulls huddle up before the game against the LA Clippers on January 25, 2019 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 25: Chicago Bulls huddle up before the game against the LA Clippers on January 25, 2019 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Chicago Bulls had a terrible month of January. Can they start fresh in February and pick up some wins? Is that what Bulls fans should want?

The Chicago Bulls were 2-13 in January with an embarrassing net rating of -10.4 – the third worst in the NBA during that stretch.

February is a new and exciting month, though. The trade deadline creates madness all around the league, and the All-Star break gives the players a well-deserved break while giving the fans some top-notch entertainment.

Despite all the February chaos, though, there are still games that need to be played. Often times, there are even some really important games that need to be played.

The Bulls’ February schedule is less important than most teams’ but it can’t be overlooked. Even though this has been a tough, embarrassing season to be a Bulls fan, it shouldn’t be viewed as a lost season.

The Bulls need to spend the remainder of this season figuring out two things: which players should remain on the roster going forward, and whether or not Jim Boylen is the right coach for this team. Oh, and they need to lose a lot of games. I’m more confident in their ability to do that last part. They’re really good at being really bad!

The Bulls start the month of February tonight in North Carolina when they take on the playoff-hopeful Charlotte Hornets.

The Hornets are currently 7th in the Eastern Conference with a 25-26 record. They’re led by All-Star guard Kemba Walker who has a supporting cast full of young talent and savvy vets.

The Hornets are coming off a win yesterday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, while the Bulls are coming off two days of rest. The bad news for the Bulls is Kemba Walker plays some of his best basketball on the second leg of back-to-backs.

This season, Walker is averaging 28.9 points, 4.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game when the team plays on zero days of rest. Those numbers spell doom for a Bulls team that had the third-worst defensive rating in January.

So what would “starting February the right way” look like for the Bulls? Some would say winning. That seems to be the simple answer. While that may be true, I’d rather see a quality loss. I don’t want to watch the Bulls get blown out while playing archaic basketball, but if they could put together a solid team effort and then lose in the final seconds, that would be perfect for both the development of the team and the tank.

Next. Grading the Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot trade. dark

I guess being a Bulls fan now means I’m cheering for close losses. What a sad concept.

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