The Bulls are back on the road, which, for anyone who’s watched this team for more than five minutes, is usually a bad sign. They're lugging a three-game losing streak into Oklahoma City tonight, and if you thought those losses to Washington, Portland, and Minnesota were rough, just wait. The Thunder aren't just good; they're *first* in the Western Conference with a 57-16 record. Chicago, meanwhile, sits at a tidy 29-43, 12th in the East, a full 14 games out of the play-in picture. Yeah, it’s that kind of year.
Their last outing, a 107-101 loss to the Timberwolves on Monday, saw DeMar DeRozan drop 27 points, but Zach LaVine was invisible again, going 4-for-14 from the field for 12 points. That's been the story too many times this season. The team’s road record? A dismal 12-23. You can almost hear the collective sigh from the fan base every time the schedule says "away game."
Real talk: this isn't the same OKC team Chicago beat 124-118 back in January. Remember that game? Coby White went off for 37 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was out with a knee sprain. SGA is very much back and playing at an MVP level, averaging 30.4 points, 6.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He’s been a nightmare for opposing guards all season. Chet Holmgren, the rookie big man, is also having a fantastic year, putting up 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. He's a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate down the line.
The Thunder also boast the league's best three-point shooting percentage at 39.4%. Guys like Jalen Williams (43.1% from deep) and Isaiah Joe (42.0%) are knocking down shots with alarming regularity. Chicago, on the other hand, is 28th in the league in three-point percentage at 34.6%. That kind of disparity on the perimeter is a recipe for disaster, especially against a team that pushes the pace like OKC.
Look, I get it. The Bulls are technically still alive for the play-in tournament. They're currently 5.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th spot. But let’s be honest, that’s a mirage. Even if they somehow snuck in, what exactly are they playing for? Another first-round exit? This team has been stuck in neutral for too long. The front office needs to stop pretending this core, led by DeRozan, LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic, can contend. They haven't won a playoff series since 2015.
My hot take? This is the most frustrating Bulls team in a decade because they're just good enough to be mediocre, but not good enough to actually be relevant. They beat the good teams just often enough to give you false hope, then lose to the truly terrible ones. Remember that 126-112 win over the Celtics in late February? A week later, they lost by 17 to the Grizzlies. That's the Bulls.
Tonight against the Thunder, expect a heavy dose of SGA driving to the basket and Holmgren protecting the rim. The Bulls will need a monster game from White and DeRozan just to keep it respectable. If LaVine can't find his shot, this one could get ugly fast.
Bold prediction: The Bulls lose by at least 15 points, and Billy Donovan gets asked about his job security during the post-game presser.