CHICAGO (670 The Score) – The Bulls have played some of their worst basketball of the season in the past month or so, but they've at least returned to playoff relevancy.
On a Tuesday evening in which they were routed 127-106 by the Bucks at the United Center, the Bulls nonetheless clinched their first playoff berth since 2017 by virtue of the Cavaliers' loss to the Magic. The Bulls have clinched at least the sixth seed in the East, which will keep them out of the play-in tournament, which pits the next four teams in the standings in a clash for the final two postseason berths.
"I'm happy for the guys, I'm happy for the organization," coach Billy Donovan said of clinching a playoff spot. "You want to be playing during that time of year. I think it's a season that has unfolded in a way that I don't think anybody ever could've anticipated with COVID and injuries and things like that. We've had different guys step up during different times during the course of the year to kind of put us in this position. So I'm excited for the guys because I think they've worked hard and it's been a really good group considering this is really the first time they've all played with one another. I'm just happy for them, that they'll get a chance to experience that. And a lot of the guys haven't experienced that.
"We're trying to build. And that's the biggest thing – how do you keep building from last year to this year and continually try to get better?"
Among those currently in the Bulls' rotation, star guard Zach LaVine, forward Patrick Williams, guard Coby White and rookie guard Ayo Dosunmu have never played in the postseason. Forward Javonte Green also has appeared in only one playoff game, logging just six minutes.
The Bulls have struggled in going 7-13 since the All-Star break arrived in mid-February, with their offense cratering and being one of the worst in the NBA in that stretch. Even so, Donovan saw a silver lining in those the troubles.
"You want to be going into this time of year playing well," Donovan said. "I don't think that we necessarily haven't played well. I think we have shot really poorly. We have not been able to consistently shoot well enough for a period of time, but I think our effort tonight was really good and in general it's been good."
At 45-34, the Bulls sit alone in sixth place in the East, one game back of the Raptors (46-33). Chicago owns the tiebreaker over Toronto should they finish with identical records as three games remain.
The Celtics, Bucks and 76ers are all tied for second in the East, so with five days remaining in the regular season, it's still difficult to get a read on who the Bulls will match up with in the first round of the playoffs. That likely won't be decided until Sunday.
"It's always an honor to be able to get into the playoffs," star DeMar DeRozan said. "The franchise hasn't been here in five years. So for us to make the jump that we made to be in the position to be able to compete in the playoffs, it's definitely great. It will give us an opportunity to further our season and play for something bigger.
"As long as the opportunity is there, it's a chance. It would be different if we wasn't making it and we were talking about next year. For us to still have a chance and have an opportunity to pick it up and use these next couple games to be going in the right direction at the right time, that's what it's all about. As long as you're playing good basketball at the right time with an opportunity still in front of you, anything can happen. You always kind of look at it from the positive point of view."
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.
