A daunting challenge is ahead.

After the All-Star break in the previous season, the Bulls finished 14-9 and moved up to 10th place in the rankings. But the Bulls had Zach LaVine, an All-Star, and Patrick Williams, a potential forward, on their roster at the time.

The feisty guard Patrick Beverley, whom the Bulls signed after the Orlando Magic bought him out, was another key player that inspired that squad. Beverley has already joined the Bucks for this season, with LaVine and Williams out due to injuries. Since the calendar turned to 2024, the Bulls have had an 11-10 record due to their growing injury list.

The Bulls’ 16 games against opponents with a.500 or better record only make matters more difficult. Chicago’s current record versus these opponents this season is a poor 9-21.

It takes luck.

Chicago’s goal of sweeping into the NBA Playoffs in a dominant manner also requires a small amount of luck. The Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, the teams that are ahead of the Bulls, both have identical records of 30-25, while the Indiana Pacers, who are ranked sixth, have remained stable at 31-25. To have a shot at a higher seed, the Bulls would need these teams to falter in the closing stages.

Elias Schuster stated in Bleacher Nation, “Again, the important point here is that the path to some type of miraculous turnaround is practically impossible to envision.”n.