The Chicago Bulls are halfway through the season and have done well to climb from last place in the Eastern Conference to a possible outright spot in the NBA Playoffs.
At 19-22, the Bulls are in ninth place, three games behind the eighth-place Orlando Magic. Veteran guard Alex Caruso has seen his team at its lowest point, with a 5-14 record at the end of November.
However, they have subsequently improved to 14-8, courtesy to the emergence of Coby White as the team’s uncontested rising star and a free-flowing style of play based on swift ball movement and decision making. Caruso believes the squad has a good chance of making the postseason.
“When we play the way we should, we’re a really good team,” Caruso said.
Playing the right way
The Chicago Bulls are beginning to understand IT, which means playing selfless basketball on one end and great defense on the other. Caruso stated that if the club regularly performs these things, they would be one of the best teams in the NBA.
“Trying not to veer too far from my lane, but when we play the right way, we’re a good team,” Caruso said when asked about the front office’s plans for the second half of the season.
“I think we’ve proven that a little bit last year and this year, even though you can’t put much weight in seasons you’re not in [the playoffs]. But we’ve beaten good teams, we’ve shown we can play with the good teams, and that’s the way you win late in the season. For us, it’s just about the consistency of it.”
What to make of Zach LaVine
One of the league’s worst-kept secrets is the Bulls’ desire to trade Zach LaVine. Although the Bulls have gone 4-1 since the All-Star’s return, it’s evident that the nucleus of this team has hit its limit in terms of championship potential.
Since his return, LaVine has averaged 16.8 points, seven rebounds, and six assists—numbers that are scarcely deserving of the enormous contract he is demanding, making it tough to find a trading partner.
Caruso, on the other hand, is confident that if the Bulls make it to the playoffs, they will make a statement.
“Once you get to the playoffs, it’s a seven-game series,” Caruso said.
“They know what you’re going to run; you know what they’re going to run. It’s just about going out there and putting your best foot forward and competing. When we do that, I think we’re a really good team.”
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