The Chicago Bulls will advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. And for the second straight season, the Bulls have improved their win total. That\u2019s the good news.<\/p>\n
The flip side of the narrative is that Chicago hasn\u2019t been playing well as of late. Following a 117-94 drubbing at the hands of the Boston Celtics, the Bulls have now dropped three straight and they\u2019ve produced just four wins in their last 10 outings.<\/p>\n
Diehard Bulls fans will not want to hear this, but there are a few factors to be concerned with as the Bulls prepare for postseason competition for the first time in five years. So without further delay, here\u2019s a look at those factors.<\/p>\n
The Bulls started the season with a 25-10 mark. But their record over the next 45 games is 20-25. And a big reason for that has to do with the team\u2019s slippage on the defensive end of the court. For example, the Bulls are ranked 16th<\/sup> in scoring defense<\/a>, giving up 111.6 points per contest. Additionally, the Bulls are ranked 22nd<\/sup> in defensive efficiency (113.2 points per 100 possessions.<\/p>\n The story doesn\u2019t end there, though. The Bulls\u2019 opponents are also shooting 47.2 percent from the field. That is the fifth-worst mark in the association. It should also be noted that the competition is shooting 36.5 percent against the Bulls from beyond the arc, which places them at 27th<\/sup> in this category. With two games left in the regular season, the Bulls will need to improve at that end of the court, if they have any hopes of advancing past the first round.<\/p>\n While injuries are part of sports, the Bulls have had their hands full in this department. Patrick Williams<\/a><\/strong> was out for five months and has just recently returned to the rotation. Alex Caruso \u2014 who has played solid in a reserve role \u2014 is back in the rotation, but he will be playing through back problems. Lonzo Ball<\/a><\/strong>, one of the Bulls\u2019 top defenders, has been shut down<\/a> for the rest of the season as he continues to work his way back from a knee injury.<\/p>\n Sources: Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is expected to be shut down for the remainder of the season. Ball has been rehabbing from meniscus surgery in late January, but continues to feel discomfort amid several recovery methods to return to action and a bone bruise in his knee.<\/p>\n — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 5, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n2. Injuries Continue to be an Issue\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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