Hoops Habit
Fansided

Playoff Picture: Chicago Bulls

By Luke Duffy

Feb 20, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 20, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
Mar 28, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Knicks guard Langston Galloway (2) and Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) on the court after a collision during the second quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Knicks guard Langston Galloway (2) and Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) on the court after a collision during the second quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Why They’ll Fall Short

While there is much to like about this team, their bench is a cause for concern. Past incarnations of Thibodeau’s Bulls would have seen the bench come in and not only keep Chicago ticking over, but also push out their lead while playing the same brand of tough defence. This season, the Bulls’ bench is scoring 31.6 points per game (20th) and their overall efficiency is 33.1, a mark that worryingly puts them 24th in the league.

This is why Mirotic is so important to this team. He is a great boost for their second unit. As great as Gasol has been, leaning on a guy that age and relying on him so much has the potential to backfire if he goes down with injury. I try not to let injuries in general be a reason to mark a team down, as it can strike anybody at any moment.

But the Bulls have a history of it at this point. Rose may miss some playoff time action, while I wouldn’t be surprised if the same thing happened to Noah and Gasol. This team always finds a way though. We love to talk about Chicago’s hard nosed defensive play as being their calling card, and yet they continue to slip in this category as well.

They now sit 12th in the league in this category. Playing at a bottom 10 pace (95.2) will help when the games slow down though.

Next: European Rookie Has Become Key

Home/Chicago Bulls