Chicago Bulls: 3 keys to surviving this disastrous season

For the Chicago Bulls, this season has been an utter disaster. After an embarrassing 6-22 start, can this squad even survive the season?

Now that the Chicago Bulls have seemingly become the laughingstock of the NBA, there are more questions than answers. This was supposed to be the season that the latest version of the Baby Bulls took a giant step toward respectability, the playoffs and eventually become contenders.

Lauri Markkanen was expected to take a large leap toward becoming a star, Zach LaVine was fully healthy and head coach Fred Hoiberg finally had guys who could run his pace-and-space offense.

Instead, Hoiberg never had a chance. Though training camp didn’t result in any fist fights or broken jaws, it did culminate with Markkanen suffering a dislocated elbow and missing the first 23 games of the season and Hoiberg being fired just as the holiday season was kicking off. Three other rotation players missed significant time in the first month, one of which (Denzel Valentine) won’t return this season at all.

Oh, and the Bulls have lost 22 of their first 28 games with the new coach, Jim Boylen, barely staving off a mutiny one week into his reign as head coach. Other than that, things have been going well for the franchise.

The question now is, can this squad make it through April? Here are three keys for the Bulls as they head toward the new year: