3 ideal first-round playoff matchups for the Chicago Bulls to target

3 ideal playoff matchups for the Bulls: The Toronto Raptors

Imagine if Derrick Rose was having a resurgence in the twilight of his career. Imagine if he was building a surprisingly solid MVP campaign in 2022, while also leading the New York Knicks to the first seed. That’s how I imagine Toronto Raptors fans must feel right now, and it’s also why a first-round clash between the Bulls and Raptors would make for such exciting television.

There’s hardly a better time and place for DeRozan to dispel the narrative of being a playoff choker than against his former team in the playoffs. The spotlight would be on DeMar yet again, but this time he’d come equipped with a supporting cast of players that can actually pick up the slack and hit big shots when he’s not initiating the offense.

Even when ignoring the narrative surrounding a hypothetical playoff matchup, if the Bulls cannot land a first-round meeting against Charlotte, Toronto would certainly make for one of the next most desirable opponents to face off against.

Just like the Hornets, the Toronto Raptors lack the size down low to make Chicago pay for its poor interior defense. The biggest player on the Raptors’ roster is the 6-foot-9, 230 pound Khem Birch, and isn’t the type of player to impose his presence in the paint.

When healthy, Toronto employs an undersized rotation at the center position featuring Pascal Siakam, Precious Achiuwa, Birch, and Chris Boucher. This simply isn’t enough size to hold down the post and helps explain why the Raptors are dead last in the league in defensive rebounding.

Toronto is an extremely well-coached team that knows how to gameplan against superstars and utilize a versatile perimeter defense. However, the Bulls have so many options on offense that they have the rare luxury of defaulting to other players. If the Raptors manage to effectively neutralize LaVine, for instance, DeRozan is there to pick up the slack.

If Toronto plays great defense on both stars, Vucevic is there to stretch the floor and dominate the paint as the biggest player on the court. If Toronto doubles the paint or forms their infamous wall, Chicago is loaded with shooters like Ball, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu to punish them for that decision.

While lacking the same level of playoff experience that other Eastern Conference contenders have, the Bulls are simply a matchup nightmare for the Raptors. Chicago has a better offense, better defense, and more bench depth than Toronto. While the Raptors may be better than advertised, this is one matchup they’d be wise to avoid.