Well Bulls fans, we are entering the home stretch of a season that has been as long and rough as a Brazzers set. It has been a rocky road, to say the least. But entering the end of the season, there are a lot of positives that Bulls fans should be happy about while going into the offseason.
I assume 99% of you reading this have been enjoying yet another year of March Madness. A big takeaway from the tournament is the number of elite players coming into the draft next year. Although Zion seems to still be the clear front runner to be selected #1 overall, players like Ja Morant and Coby White proved that they also have bright futures in the NBA ahead of them.
I will be producing more prospect insight for the draft going forward. But, for now, let’s take a look at the final two weeks of the Bulls schedule, and see how we stack up.
3/26- Toronto Raptors – L
The Raptors are sitting pretty at the #2 spot in the Eastern Conference. They are 4 games behind the Bucks, and 4 games ahead of the Sixers who are in the 3rd spot. The Raptors are on a two-game losing streak, so look for them to come out of the gate hotter than a gas station burrito. I see this being one of the last games the Raptors truly give a shit about until playoff time, which Zawastradamus feels like it will be too much for the Bulls to handle. Raptors 104, Bulls 88.
3/27- Portland Trailblazers – L
The Blazers are in the midst of a very tight Western Conference race into the playoffs. Dame and the boys are sitting at the 4 seed, which seems like the ideal place for them to lose in the first round for the 17th year in a row. With Jusuf Nurkic out for the rest of the season due to a gruesome injury, I think Lauri is going to put on a show. The Blazers have clinched a spot in the playoffs already but will have to rely on veteran Enes Kanter to take a heavier workload. Lauri will put up 30 and 15, but not enough to catapult the team to victory. Trailblazers 114, Bulls 110.
3/30- Toronto Raptors – W
You know how I said the 3/26 game may be the last one the Raptors truly give a shit about? Well, that is why I think this game can easily be stolen by the Bulls. It is on a Saturday night in Chicago so the boys will be buzzin as the kids say. The true X factor in this game will be Benny the Bulls’ performance. There is no denying that he gets the crowd going like no other. Look for him to be the spark plug that gives a contagious winning atmosphere for our players. Bulls 118, Raptors 103.
Benny does not give a fuck 😂 (wait for it) pic.twitter.com/d1suHZmn9a
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 21, 2019
4/1- New York Knicks – W
The Bulls have shown that they are no match for the season-long tank battle against the Knicks. This is nothing to be mad about, as the Knicks have somehow plummeted into a darker hole since the trade of Kristaps Porzingis, there only hope for the future. The scariest person you can go up against in a fight is someone that has nothing to lose. This is how the Knicks are, the equivalent to a 40-year-old man whose wife just left him with the kids, then led to him drinking at an aggressive rate which led to him getting fired from his job.
I wouldn’t center your day around this game, but nonetheless, the Bulls should win in convincing fashion. Bulls 114, Knicks 88.
4/3- Washington Wizards – L (2OT)
There has been absolutely no love lost between these two teams since the trade a couple of months ago. Bobby Portis treats the Bulls like an ex-girlfriend that he wants to prove didn’t know what she had in him. The Bulls won in a very entertaining fashion last week with an overtime thriller. The Wizards have been one of the most unpredictable franchises in the NBA the past couple (or 5) years. They will, however, have that extra chip on their shoulders through Bobby and Jabari. Look for Zach Lavine to have a monster triple-double, and Robin Lopez to add on with a classic 24 and 12 game out of nowhere. The game will be magical, sorcerous, and down to the wire. But I see the Wizards edging the Bulls out on double OT. Wizards 147, Bulls 142.
4/6- Philadelphia 76ers – W
The Sixers are another team that is in a tight race at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. They are in a fight to hold on to the 3 seed, but if we want to talk about extra chips on someone’s shoulder walking into the United Center? Enter Jimmy Butler. I don’t think it is anything personal, Jimmy just now has a reputation of hating the all holy hell out of his former teams, but I don’t think it will translate to a win for them. I see this being a staple game for the young core of the Bulls, and they come out firing on all cylinders. OPJ, Lavine, and Lauri dominate the game from beginning to end. Kris Dunn maybe adding a 10 assist game to show that he is worth being on the roster going forward. And let us not forget the game will be on Saturday night. Benny the Bull is going to have the United Center an ELECTRIC FACTORY. Bulls 105. 76ers 92.
😮 @bennythebull shows off on his birthday! pic.twitter.com/FoFALeN2Tj
— NBA (@NBA) March 21, 2019
4/9- New York Knicks – L
You ever fall asleep in your high school history class the days “WWII in Black and White” videos were shown? Maybe you missed the epic tank battles that were shown or discussed? Well, lucky for you, this game will top any of those battles. This will be a day where Twitter and Facebook can get top-notch content out there, and maybe for not all of the best reasons (But hey any publicity is good publicity right…?). Hopefully, Coach Jim Boylen will utilize this game to give the bench mob heavy minutes in preparation for next season. This game will be a shitshow from beginning to end, but at least the Bulls can have a positive outlook after. Knicks 84, Bulls 79.
4/10- Philadelphia 76ers – L
I have a feeling this game will be a deciding factor in the 76ers seeding. If this has any of those implications, the Bulls will be in real trouble. If that is the case, please let us just keep playing the young guys and the bench mob, and let Joel Embiid go for 45 and 15. There really is no benefit for the Bulls to do otherwise. On the flip side, if there is any chance for us to snag the 3rd from the bottom spot from Cleveland, I better see Marcus Fizer and Brian Scalabrine make a return on a 10-day contract for this game. 76ers 116, Bulls 93.
Conclusion:
Well, there it is, the final home stretch of the season for our very own Chicago Bulls. It has been a tumultuous season, but one where there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Use these predictions to leverage your bets, argue with family and friends, or just let me know how dead wrong I am with this on twitter @Zbola101.
