Best-case scenario for the Chicago Bulls going into the playoffs

The Chicago Bulls have gradually dropped out of the top three in the Eastern Conference, losing seven of their last nine. Currently, they hold the No. 4 seed.

This may feel like a bad thing for the Bulls, but there are two positives about where they stand at the moment.

Unbeatable playoff teams the Bulls need to avoid early

The East is loaded this year with teams that the Bulls are going to have a tough time beating.

The Philadelphia 76ers practically own the Bulls, and getting James Harden at the trade deadline doesn’t make it any easier. I’m sorry, but there is no scenario where I see the Bulls taking down the Sixers in a seven-game series.

The next team is the Brooklyn Nets. When fully healthy, the Nets aren’t a team anyone wants to face in the playoffs. Seven games with Kevin Durant is a tough task. They also improved at the trade deadline, adding Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond. Despite the Bulls’ success against the Nets in the regular season, they are starting to play like a different team.

Lastly, the Bucks have also had success against the Bulls this year. They are the defending champions and Giannis Antetokounmpo is seemingly unguardable, especially when he faces Chicago.

In a full playoff series, these three teams are going to be very difficult to defeat.

Best and current scenario for the Chicago Bulls

Here’s a hypothetical scenario: the Bulls march their way back to the top of the Eastern Conference. Great. But who is sitting in the current seventh or eighth seed? The Nets. After a great regular season under your belt, no team wants to be “rewarded” with having to play the Nets in the first round.

As long as the Bulls hold on to a top-five seed, it looks like they won’t have to play Milwaukee or Philly — the Bucks are currently the two seed and Sixers are the three seed.

That being said, should the Bulls be content at where they stand?

Their current first-round matchup would be against the Boston Celtics, who have been playing a lot better lately. But Chicago has had success against Boston this year. The first matchup was a comeback story for the Bulls, with Chicago winning 128-114. The second was a close 114-112 loss. However, in the second matchup, the Bulls were without Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and Patrick Williams. Even though the Celtics have caught fire, Bulls fans might be more comfortable facing them than the Nets in a first-round scenario.

Should Chicago move on in this hypothetical scenario, next up would be the Miami Heat, who have won all three games against the Bulls this year. However, most would agree that the Heat are an easier out than Philly, Milwaukee, and Brooklyn. The Heat are well-coached and well-rounded, but they are not a super team with an MVP-caliber player.

If the Bulls could have a first-round series against Boston, then a second-round series against Miami, they will have a very good chance of making a run at the Eastern Conference Finals.

I’m not saying to tank, because the Bulls still have to stay competitive. All I’m saying is that they’re not in desperate need to climb back up in the Eastern Conference standings.