Just when it looked like first-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls were starting to turn it all around at this point of the regular season, they fell short in agonizing fashion entering the weekend. The Bulls saw star shooting guard Zach LaVine go off for a season-high 50 points in what would amount to an April 9 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on the road.
The loss to the Hawks entering the weekend snapped a three-game winning streak for the Bulls, and it was even harder to believe with the way LaVine played. Yet, this setback against playoff-level competition in the Eastern Conference down the stretch this season can’t be something that distracts this Bulls team.
There’s still a good opportunity for this rejuvenated Bulls team to keep their winning ways going heading out of the weekend. A Bulls team that has still won three of their last four games is now sporting a record of 22-29, still in the picture to get a spot in the play-in tournament next month.
How the Chicago Bulls can continue a strong playoff push?
Next up for LaVine and the Bulls is a meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves (who just went through a big change in ownership) on the road on April 11. That gives the Bulls a good chance to get back in the win column against a team that is currently at the bottom of the NBA standings.
The schedule does lighten up a bit for the Bulls through the rest of the month of April. They had a heavy stretch of road games against some difficult competition in the last few weeks, but an easier schedule should help this team down the stretch.
Also, here’s a look at three Bulls players who must turn their game around in the near future if this team is to make a legitimate playoff push this year.