The Chicago Bulls blew a golden opportunity last week to solidify their postseason berth in the Eastern Conference. Instead, the Bulls lost back-to-back games against two of the worst teams in the NBA, in the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Despite those two horrible losses, the Bulls enter the final regular-season game against the Nets on Wednesday a win away from locking up a playoff spot.
Well, if they lose at home against the 20-61 Nets, then the Bulls definitely don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. However, the Nets are basically handing over the playoffs to the Bulls.
On Tuesday, the Nets released their injury report and guess what, they’re resting their best players.
Injury Report for tom. at Chicago: Booker (rest), Lin (rest), Lopez (rest), Acy (ankle), Harris (shoulder) & Kilpatrick (hamstring) are out.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 11, 2017
Brook Lopez, Jeremy Lin, Sean Kilpatrick, Trevor Booker and Joe Harris are five of Brooklyn’s top seven scorers this season. Lopez, Lin and Kilpatrick are averaging 20.5, 14.5 and 13.1 points per game, respectively. So, there’s no way the Bulls lose now, right?
Well, wouldn’t it be so Bulls if they somehow did lose and missed the playoffs? Also, what a big middle finger to the Miami Heat by the Nets. Miami is tied with Chicago, but would be left out of the playoffs because of a tie breaker. Yet, the Nets have essentially packed their bags for the offseason and are asking to be blown out by the Bulls.
However, Heat fans can’t be pissed off because their team has had the entire season to win more games and avoid this scenario. For the Bulls, there’s a chance they end up being the No. 7 seed because they also have the tie breaker over the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are 41-40, and play against the Atlanta Hawks at home on Wednesday. The Heat host the Washington Wizards and if they win and the Bulls lose, Miami will be in the playoffs.
If the Bulls win, which they really have zero excuse not to, they could end up playing the Cleveland Cavaliers, who appear to have no interest in being the one seed in the East. The Boston Celtics are the Bulls’ other possible first round matchup as well.
No way the Bulls blow this. (Watch them blow this)