Numbers That Support the Chicago Bulls Thinking Playoffs

The Chicago Bulls made it known they plan on being in the postseason. They showed how they will get there this preseason.

When the Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen said the team’s goal this season is to make the playoffs, it might have initially elicited plenty of side-eye looks. After all, they won all of 22 games last season. But an assessment of their offseason and preseason, coupled with an examination of what went wrong last season, and it’s not hard to fathom.

Chicago went 2-3 during the exhibition season; hardly a precursor to another 72-win season in Chicago. But their numbers portend much greater things are on the horizon. At the very least, they will be vastly improved and much more entertaining.

They showed improved perimeter shooting, an area in which they ranked among the worst in 2018. They have also looked much improved on the boards, another weakness of last year’s squad.  The third sign is possibly the most important and also the one that is least in their control. That, of course, is staying healthy.

Triple Threat

It was bad enough the Bulls were almost averse to getting in line with the NBA’s three-point revolution; finishing 27th in attempted threes in 2018. But they also weren’t effective with the threes they did take. They finished the season ranked 19th in three-point percentage. Boylen and John Paxson even defended the stance on fewer threes.

What a difference an offseason can make. The Bulls finished their preseason ranked sixth in attempted threes and

tenth in made threes among NBA teams. That put them at a whopping 20th in three-point percentage. However, there’s an important caveat to those numbers.

Bulls starters, like most others, played very sparingly in the fourth quarters of games during the preseason. They averaged 2.7 minutes in the fourth quarter, 14th in the NBA. When focusing on the 11 different players to start for the Bulls this preseason, there is a pleasant jump.

They move to fourth in made threes and sixth in attempts. The biggest leap is their efficiency from deep. The starters rank sixth in three-point percentage. Just from a philosophical standpoint, that is a stark contrast from last year. But if they are going to be so efficient with those types of shots, there will be plenty of driving lanes for the likes of Zach LaVine.

Board Man Gets Paid

Chicago had a rough year on the glass last season too. The Bulls were 25th in total rebounds, 21st in defensive rebounds, and dead-last in offensive rebounds. They also lost two of their top-five rebounders in Robin Lopez and Jabari Parker (yes, he still finished fifth on the team despite making 39 appearances).

Fortunately, reinforcements have arrived. Enter Thaddeus Young and Luke Kornet. The five boards per game Young averaged in the preseason would have been third among Bulls still on the roster last year. The 6’8” forward also provides defense and veteran leadership.

Kornet could be a shot-blocking, three-point shooting weapon in the making. But at 7’1” he should at the very least be able to wreck shop on the glass. He averages 5.7 rebounds per 36 minutes and that 1.8 blocks per 36 minutes look nice too. If he is doing those things consistently he will be well worth the signing.

Chicago ranked 25th in total rebounds, 21st in defensive rebounds, and 30th in offensive rebounds in 2018. They are fifth in total, 19th in defensive, and second in offensive boards. That is quite a dramatic improvement even if it is just the preseason.

Healthy Living

Bulls players missed upwards of 270 games last season due to injury. Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter missed the beginning and ending chunks of the season, respectively. Denzel Valentine missed the entire campaign and Kris Dunn missed time with broken teeth. Long story short the Bulls were a beat-up team in 2018.

That is not the case heading into the 2019 campaign. The Bulls go into the regular-season opener against the Charlotte Hornets with all their major pieces intact. As it stands, the only players listed on the injury report are Chandler Hutchison and Shaquille Harrison.

Sure, Carter missed most of the preseason dealing with his own injury but he still managed to post the fourth-best defensive rating this preseason. They need him to remain healthy for more than 44 games this time around. As it stands, he is and that has to be a welcomed sight for Bulls fans.

Better health this season will lend itself to more winning. Many guys were stretched beyond their abilities being thrust into roles they weren’t built for. Having them back in their proper roles should lead to more cohesion and the roster versatility will amplify how much deeper they are this year.

Numbers Back Bulls Playoff Mindset

Preseason is still just that, the precursor to the regular season when the games will actually count. Things will be different when teams begin to install gameplans to slow down and stop the Bulls. But they have shown a few abilities they didn’t possess last season. Should that carry over, Boylen and Co. will find themselves right in the thick of the playoff race.