Chicago Bulls: Factors That Could Bolster Playoff Hopes

The Chicago Bulls are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Do they have enough to make a late-season playoff push?

As a surprise to exactly no one, the Chicago Bulls‘ up-and-down season has resulted in them fighting for their playoff lives. Similar to last year, the Bulls have posted impressive wins against some of the top teams in the league such as the Cleveland Cavaliers — whom they have beaten three times — the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and yes, even the Golden State Warriors.

While that list is certainly impressive, the Bulls have also dropped games to the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks (twice) and a New York Knicks team (twice) that will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

With just 14 games remaining in the 2016-17 campaign, the Bulls sit at 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, one game behind the eighth-place Detroit Pistons. The question is: Do the Bulls have what it takes to make a late push towards the postseason? If we use recent history as an indicator (i.e. last year), the answer is no.

Despite the gloom-and-doom narrative, there are several factors that could sway the proverbial pendulum in the other direction. Today, we will look at a few things that could help the Bulls defy the odds and capture that last spot in the conference playoff race.