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Are the Chicago Bulls legitimate NBA championship contenders?

By Dan Bennett

Nov 14, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan talks to forward DeMar DeRozan (11) and guard Zach LaVine (8) during a timeout of the NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. The Bulls wins 100-90. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan talks to forward DeMar DeRozan (11) and guard Zach LaVine (8) during a timeout of the NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. The Bulls wins 100-90. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports /
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Are the Chicago Bulls legitimate NBA championship contenders?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 15: Alex Caruso #6 and Lonzo Ball #2 of the Chicago Bulls react to a play during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 15, 2021 in Los Angeles, California, Are the Chicago Bulls legitimate NBA championship contenders?. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

Heading into the season, there were some pretty big questions surrounding the Chicago Bulls.

Clearly, the team had gotten better. The front office added more offensive firepower in the offseason with DeMar Derozan and Lonzo Ball, as well as a good defensive player in Alex Caruso.

But there were doubts as to how it would all fit together, and whether the team really had enough firepower on defense to compete with the very best.

The Chicago Bulls have proven to be a talented team, but do they have what it takes to go all the way and win the NBA championship?

As of now, the Bulls currently sit at second in the Eastern Conference with a 39-23 record and have surpassed the expectations of most NBA fans. They are clearly a playoff team, but whether this new-look group can take the next step and truly contend for the championship is yet to be seen.

The biggest reason for the Bulls’ success this season has been the performance of DeMar DeRozan. Having spent three seasons on an average San Antonio Spurs team, the 32-year-old’s improvement went somewhat under the radar, but he has proven himself to be one of the best players in the NBA during his short time in Chicago.

The forward is averaging 28.3 points per game this season while shooting 51.7 percent from the field. It feels like he can get a bucket anytime he wants and he has been unstoppable from the mid-range.

To have one go-to scorer is a luxury a lot of NBA teams do not have, but to have two puts the Bulls in an excellent position heading into the postseason. Zach Lavine has continued to be just that, averaging 24.6 points per game this season while making over 40 percent of his threes.

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