A critical test lies on tap for first-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls on April 28. The Bulls will look to extend their winning streak to two games on April 28 as they take on head coach Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks on the road at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are surging up the Eastern Conference standings since landing former Bulls superstar point guard Derrick Rose earlier this season from the Detroit Pistons.
This will be big for the Bulls since they’re battling it out with the likes of the Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors. Following their win over head coach Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat on the road back on April 26, the Bulls hold a record of 26-35. They still sit in 11th place in the standings in the East, behind the Wizards and Pacers.
Chicago Bulls pushing to the play-in tournament
To get a spot in the play-in tournament next month, the Bulls will need to get a top 10 seed in the East.
It’s not out of the question that Donovan and the Bulls will play well enough down the stretch to get a top 10 seed to make the play-in tournament. But the schedule doesn’t really lighten up in the immediate future.
That means the Bulls will need some of their top players to step up in a big way down the stretch. This will be a proving ground for a lot of Bulls players that could be a long-term piece for this core under the new coaching staff and front office regime.
Here’s a look at three Bulls players that already did a good job of proving they belong with this team next season.