NBA Power Rankings 18: A new top team as the playoffs approach

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25-35. Previous: 22nd. Chicago Bulls. 21. team. 24.

Last Week: Beat Boston Celtics 102-96, Lost to Cleveland Cavaliers 121-105, Beat Charlotte Hornets 108-91, Lost to Miami Heat 106-101

This Week: 4/26 at Miami Heat, 4/28 at New York Knicks, 4/30 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 5/1 at Atlanta Hawks

The absence of Zach LaVine has done nothing to help the inconsistencies of the Chicago Bulls, leaving them fighting for the bottom of the play-in tournament in a generally uninspiring fashion. The only semi-positive change has been the improvement of Coby White given that the ball is in his hands more. Over the course of the week, he averaged 20.5 points, 5.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game on shooting splits of .538/.429/1.00.

Efficiency and consistency have been a problem for the second-year guard but finding his groove alongside Nikola Vucevic is the sort of incremental progress the young Bulls need. None of the other young prospects on the team have done much of note in recent weeks so the Bulls will take whatever they can get.

If you are a fan of both the Bulls and Lauri Markkanen, enjoy the next few weeks while they last. He has only gotten worse since the deadline and seems to be destined for a change of scenery in restricted free agency this summer. Patrick Williams is still an elite defensive prospect but his offensive game is still a work in progress, as was to be expected. If LaVine can come back heading into the play-in the Bulls will have a chance on any night. Until then, the rest of their games are much ado about nothing.