The Chicago Bulls are nearing the end of their first season with their big three. They are currently down 3-1 to the defending champion Bucks with Game 5 heading back to Milwaukee.
To worsen their circumstance, they will likely be without their All-Star guard Zach LaVine and defensive anchor Alex Caruso. LaVine entered health and safety protocols for the fourth time since March 2020 on Tuesday. Caruso had to exit Game 4 after being hit in the face by Bucks guard Jevon Carter. He has since been placed in the concussion protocol. Both haven’t been ruled out of Game 5, but likely will be.
While they weren’t predicted to be NBA Finals favorites or even contenders entering the year, the Bulls gave the fanbase hope early on with their hot start to the season. They ended the first half as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. That hope dwindled away when Lonzo Ball and Caruso went out with injury, though. Chicago went on a long losing streak and fell all the way to the No. 6 seed and got stuck with playing Giannis Antetokounmpo in the first round.
It could be worse, though. The Brooklyn Nets, led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, did open the year as title favorites. But once again they fell short … this time in spectacular and embarrassing fashion.
The Chicago Bulls have won more playoff games than the Brooklyn Nets this year. pic.twitter.com/p3vPbxnNWc
— BullsMuse (@BullsMuse_) April 26, 2022
Bulls fans should feel better about the Nets’ epic playoff failure
The Nets season was a year of internal dysfunction, lack of chemistry and bad luck. And the media will be much harsher on them than likely any other team. The Bulls at least won a single playoff game! And they weren’t expected to be as good as they proved to be at their height earlier this season.
But what the Nets went through? Bulls fans should really look at that situation and realize they didn’t have it that bad.
To add to the injury bad luck, the Nets had a full on public relations circus due to Irving. The team ruled that they were not going to allow Irving to be a part-time player after he refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine — making him ineligible to play in the state of New York. The team then backpedaled on that stance, allowing Irving to play in road games, which clearly affected the roster’s dynamic.
James Harden saw an issue with that irregularity and wanted to be traded, eventually getting his way.. The team then acquired Ben Simmons, who ended up not playing a single game this season. Meanwhile, we’re over here getting upset with injuries, struggling young role players, and some questionable Billy Donovan lineups?
The current circumstances for the Bulls is a tough pill for fans to swallow, but their season can still be viewed as a success and provide a blueprint for years to come. Health and more time to gel will likely be the remedy for this group if their season ends on Wednesday.
Whatever the case ends up being, Bulls fans can always fall back on knowing their group did better than the Brooklyn squad with the “most talented duo in NBA history.”