The Chicago Bulls are definitely one of the hardest teams to gauge headed into the 2021-2022 season. Outside of continued dominance from Zach LaVine, there is very little that Bulls fans can pin as a likelihood for this team.
Lonzo Ball is a massive question mark, DeMar DeRozan is 32 years old and has yet to experience any true team success since his time in Toronto, and Patrick Williams will have the tough task of transferring Summer League success to the regular season.
This Chicago team is the most interesting roster the Bulls have had in years, and could be the most intriguing team in the NBA this year.
With the increase in media attention sure to come from such a roster, setting the tone early is going to be key. These three games have the potential to be defining matchups that could set the tone for the Bulls season.
It’s a long season, but these games are a little more important than the others.
1. October 22nd: Chicago Bulls vs. New Orleans Pelicans
The Bulls home opener was going to be a big game no matter who it was against, but a matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans makes it that much more exciting.
Lonzo will be playing his first game at the United Center and will be pitted against the team he spent the past two seasons with.
Many questions still surround Ball’s ability to score from deep and contribute to a winning team. There is no better way to prove his worth than in a revenge game against a New Orleans team that he struggled to succeed with.
Outside of the obvious Lonzo headline performance, the Bulls will also have a key opportunity to test their defense against the monster that is Zion Williamson in a game against another team expected to be fighting for the playoffs this season.
2. October 28th: Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks
The Bulls could learn from the 2020 New York Knicks.
Just like the Bulls, the Knicks took in a former Las Angeles Laker draft-pick-turned Pelican in Julius Randle last year in free agency.
Randle found success with the Knicks last season, earning his first All-Star performance and leading the Knicks to a four-seed in the Eastern Conference.
Although extremely different players, Ball could have a similar effect in Chicago. Randle’s underrated talent helped accelerate growth in a young Knicks team by providing a post scorer and a player to run the offense through. Ball could supply similar playmaking for Chicago, albeit from the top of the key and with a very different skillset.
Additionally, after getting bounced in the first round, the Knicks could find themselves on the edge of the playoffs in an improved Eastern Conference. With the Bulls looking to find their way into the playoff picture, an early win against New York could pay future dividends.
A victory over former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau wouldn’t hurt either.
A win against their historic rivals could give the Bulls a leg up when the playoff race becomes close later in the season.
3. October 30th: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz
The Bulls open their season with five very winnable games: a home and away split with the Detroit Pistons, an away game against the new-look Toronto Raptors, and the aforementioned home games against New Orleans and New York.
Their sixth game of the season and final matchup of October presents a new challenge in the Utah Jazz. By far the best team the Bulls will have faced at that point, the Jazz are a team with title aspirations.
Led by three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and two-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell, the Jazz are a force to be reckoned with.
Utah bodied the Bulls last season, winning both games 120-95 and 113-106 respectively.
If Chicago can at least prove themselves a worthy challenger of the Utah Jazz, they can cement themselves as a serious playoff contender in the early stages of the season.
Another blowout loss, however, would bring up further questions about their risky offseason moves.
DeRozan is talented, but can he help the Bulls win? Can LaVine really lead a winning team? Is Ball a starting point guard, or a draft bust? What about Patrick Williams?
A home result against the Utah Jazz could answer some or all of those questions.