NBA Schedule Release: Notable Games for the Chicago Bulls in 2023-24

The NBA schedule is out! Teams got creative with their releases again, and the Chicago Bulls schedule was dropped via the video game route.

NBA Schedule Release: Notable Games for the Chicago Bulls in 2023-24

As always, Chicago has a few notable stretches of games that fans should circle on their calendars. This includes primetime games, key matchups, and games around season deadlines.

Primetime

The Bulls’ schedule has a few primetime games this season. Not as many as several big market-contending teams do, but enough matchups to have fans circling the dates on calendars. This year, they have seven nationally televised games:

3 NBA TV

• At Denver Nuggets (November 4^th)
• At Philadelphia 76ers (January 2^nd)
• At Los Angeles Clippers (March 9^th)

3 ESPN

• At New York Knicks (January 3^rd)
• At Cleveland Cavaliers (February 14^th)
• Vs Milwaukee Bucks (March 1^st)

1 TNT

• At Toronto Raptors (January 18^th)

All but one of Chicago’s primetime games are on the road. The first game on NBA TV against the Nuggets will be a chance for the Bulls to see the reigning champions and superstar Nikola Jokic in action.

Several of the primetime games are against teams looking to compete in a similar tier. The Knicks, Cavaliers, and Raptors will all be fighting for the fourth-tenth seeds in the Eastern Conference, so Bulls fans can circle those dates to see the level of competition Chicago is battling against.

The one home primetime game for the Bulls is against the Bucks on March 1st. The Chicago-Milwaukee rivalry has been skewed towards the Bucks the last few years, but the games always provide electric discourse. Grayson Allen has become one of the most hated players by Chicago fans in the last couple of years, so expect a lot of booing from the home crowd when he’s on the court.

Trade Deadline

• At Memphis Grizzlies (February 8^th)
• At Orlando Magic (February 10^th)
• At Atlanta Hawks (February 12^th)
• At Cleveland Cavaliers (February 14^th)

The NBA trade deadline is on February 8^th, 2024. The Bulls have doubled down to contend this season, but if things don’t go their way, a rebuild could occur. On the other hand, if things are going well, Chicago could be dealing some key players at the deadline.

The Bulls face Memphis on the day of the deadline, so fans will catch first glimpses of a lineup without any players that were dealt. The rest of the stretch leading up to the All-Star break is the Magic, Hawks, and Cavaliers. If the Bulls make significant moves at the deadline, this stretch of games will be the first look at any new players or rotations.

The February 14^th game in Cleveland is primetime, so extra eyes will be on the team. This game will look at the Bulls before the All-Star break and see how the team projects to perform for the rest of the season. If Chicago has traded for some players to help compete, this game will be a tightly contested matchup between two teams fighting for similar playoff positioning. If the Bulls have gone into rebuild mode, it will be a look at young players getting a lot of playing time, especially in garbage time against a team with Donovan Mitchell that is undoubtedly contending this season.

In-Season Tournament

East Group C

• Vs Brooklyn Nets (November 3^rd)
• Vs Orlando Magic (November 17^th)
• At Toronto Raptors (November 24^th)
• At Boston Celtics (November 28^th)

The NBA’s new In-Season Tournament has games from November 3rd to December 9^th. The Bulls are in a group with the Celtics, who are the clear favorite to win. The Magic are a young team that will put up a fight, and fans will be tuned in to see Wendell Carter Jr. and Franz Wagner as they reminisce about the Nikola Vucevic deal. The Raptors and Nets are two teams expected to fight for a playoff spot like the Bulls. So, those games will be early-season tests for Chicago in a play-in-like environment. The tournament’s quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship occur in early December. If the Bulls make it that far, expect another competitive environment to bring playoff-type excitement to the early season.

Last Game

• At New York Knicks (April 14^th)

The last game of the regular season for Chicago is against the Knicks in New York. This game could have playoff implications for both teams, especially heading into the Play-In. Before this, Chicago will have already played the Knicks twice in April, and Madison Square Garden is one of the biggest stages in basketball. Two teams battling it out for a playoff spot is a headline fans won’t want to miss if it comes to fruition.