Chicago Bulls: 3 Keys to a playoff push

The Chicago Bulls are sitting just outside the eastern conference playoff picture after they made win now moves at the NBA trade deadline. Included in what they traded away at the deadline is their first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft (Protected 1-4).

That, combined with the caliber players they added to the roster, specifically in Nikola Vucevic, makes the playoffs this season not only a goal but an expectation. There is work to be done in order to meet that expectation and the Bulls need to get to work quickly so they could make the most of their remaining games.

They will need to learn how to play together as a group on the fly and in the early going may rely heavily on their two All-Star players, Zach LaVine and Vucevic. It won’t be long before the rest of the roster will need to be coming around and doing their part, though, despite how talented the top two players on the team are.

Remember that this NBA season there is a play-in tournament prior to the start of the playoffs. That means 10 teams will remain in the hunt in each conference at the conclusion of the regular season.

With the clock already ticking on the rest of the regular season here are the Chicago Bulls three keys to a successful playoff push.

3 Keys to a Chicago Bulls playoff push: Start protecting home court

With only 29 games remaining on the schedule following the finalization of the trade deadline deals, it’s far too late for the Bulls to correct their home court failures on the season. They can get their home record to a more respectable number, though, and they’ll need to do exactly that if they want to earn themselves a playoff spot.

So far the Bulls are just 9-16 at home, a shockingly bad record for them to have in the United Center. A lack of fans is no excuse, either, as teams across the league have been dealing with the same thing on their home courts.

Additionally, there are still advantages in being comfortable and having a routine in the lead-up to games. That is even more true in the current restricted world players are in when they are on road trips. There is little to do and not much at all they could do anyway. The weird structure of life for players on the road right now should be helping the Bulls pull off home wins.

Now they have no choice but to start winning at home. Just 11 of their final 29 games are at the United Center, meaning they need to pick up each and every win they can while in Chicago. It will not be easy.

Five of the remaining 11 home games for the Bulls are against the eastern conference elite. The Nets and Bucks both come to town twice while the 76ers make one trip to the Windy City. The Bulls need to take at least two games of those five.

Additionally, the Bulls need to handle business in the other six home games they will play. Half of those six come against teams they are battling with for a playoff spot in the Celtics, Hornets and Raptors. If the Bulls plan on controlling their own fate this season they are going to need to start playing better on their home court.