Good teams get better in the clutch. I'm still not sure if the Chicago Bulls are a "good" team, but they do possess that knack for getting better down the stretch that good teams usually do. They're quickly developing a reputation of a team that's never out of a game, and a team that loves when it's tight down the stretch.
This season, the Bulls are 4-0 in clutch time games, and have the best net rating (plus-58.3) in those clutch time minutes. They look poised and not frazzled in the late stages of games, which is a great trait to have, especially with how many young guys are getting regular minutes.
It's not just the final five in which the Bulls are thriving, though; they have the best fourth quarter defensive rating in the game, and that ability to lock up late has directly led to multiple wins, most recently the thrilling comeback against the Sixers, in which the Bulls allowed just 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Bulls have been great in the clutch
Whether this is some early-season luck, great coaching, or a teamwide clutch gene is to be determined. I am currently leaning toward "a little of each," but we'll see how this plays out.
Regardless, seeing the Bulls run toward the pressure late in games instead of running away from it is a heartening trend for a new-look team. Josh Giddey
Plus, unlike other early season stats which fans claim will come back down to earth, clutch time success kind of stands on its own. No, I don't think the Bulls will have a nearly 60-point net rating in clutch time all year, but sometimes teams are simply really good in late-game situations. For the Bulls, who know they would be battling for a play-in spot this year, winning close games could be what boosts them out of the bottom tier of the Eastern Conference. Often, a team's record in 3-point games is what determines whether or not they sneak into the postseason, and that could be the case in a wide-open East. Expect madness.
Whether fans want that in a year with multiple elite prospects at the top of next year's draft is another question. I can't fault anyone for being hesitant of a play-in spot, despite an appearance this year feeling "different" than years past. For now, fans should really just enjoy having a team with a knack for winning games in thrilling fashion.