Losing to the Grizzlies, losing to the Heat, losing to the Hawks, losing to the Bucks, and counting this loss to Philadelphia, the Bulls have suffered 5 consecutive losses, and these 5 opponents, in addition to the Hawks only ranking tenth, the other 4 opponents are the top three teams in the East and West. So far this season, the Bulls have only 0 wins and 14 losses when facing the top three teams in the East and West, and the strong teams have all folded, which is not worthy of the name compared to their once top position in the East.
After losing to Philadelphia, the Bulls are still in fourth place in the East, only four wins away from the Heat at the top of the table, it is conceivable that without this wave of 5 consecutive losses, the Bulls can still sit in the first place in the East, but now, they are close to falling out of the top four in the East, after all, they are ahead of the Celtics, only 0.5 wins are left.
The Bulls' rise this season has been aided by their excellent offseason signings. The likes of DeRozan, Bauer and Caruso were brought in to create a luxurious lineup for them. The team's previous high-flying progress also showed signs of their strong rise, and even believed to have the opportunity to play in the Eastern Finals and further impact the finals.
However, from the recent performances, and the poor performances against the league's rivals so far this season, the team's playoff fate has once again been questioned. Because of their performance, it is like a pseudo-strong team, and even from their ranking, it is almost the number one pseudo-strong team in the league at present.
What is the reason why the Bulls have become the number one pseudo-strong team?
First, attack strong and defend weakly
With DeRozan and LaVine, two super scorers, the Bulls' offense is not at all worried, they currently average 112.4 points per game in the league ninth, offensive efficiency of 113.1 ranked sixth in the league, offensive performance, belongs to the league shoulder level team. On the defensive end, their average points conceded per game ranked 18th in the league, and their defensive efficiency of 112 ranked 22nd in the league, which is the league's hip level.
When the team's defense is unable to play a tough performance, it is often difficult to restrain the opponent against an opponent who is equally strong, and often when he can score.
Second, the front field is weak
The Bulls have a great backcourt, with Lavin and DeRozan being one of the best backcourt combinations in the league, but their frontcourt is top-heavy.
1) There is a lack of good defenders on the front; apart from Derek Jones Jr., the Bulls don't currently have a quality 3D on the front that can give them a solid flanking defense. Derek Jones Jr., a defensive player who relies entirely on physical condition, is unable to bring a stable defensive performance.
2, the interior defense is a weak underbelly; the Bulls' starting center is Vucevic, who is also an All-Star level big man during the Magic period, but after coming to the Bulls, Vucevic is not adaptable, the performance has dropped significantly, and in most games, he has not been able to play the expected performance. Moreover, Vucevic is a typical offensive and defensive weak inside line, and when his attack fails to play the expected performance, the defensive end becomes a burden to the team.
Although Vucevic did not play against Philadelphia, even if he played, it would be difficult to bring embiid much of a challenge on the defensive end.
Third, injuries and illnesses
The successive injuries of Lonzo Ball and Caruso have had a significant impact on the Bulls' strength, especially on the defensive end. Both Ball and Caruso are excellent defenders at the backcourt, while Caruso can defend from No. 1 to No. 3. When the two of them can play, at least the Bulls' backcourt and flank defensive pressure will be much lighter, and when their overall defense can be improved, the team will be more balanced at both ends of the attack and defense, and the overall strength will also increase a lot.
So, the Bulls, despite their record, are at the biggest disadvantage on the defensive end compared to the Heat, Bucks, Philadelphia and Celtics. However, from the current point of view, their defense is not without room for improvement, because Caruso and Lonzo Ball are not reimbursed for the season, and at some point in the end of the season, they can usher in a comeback. When they come back, the Bulls' defense will naturally improve.
According to statistics, when Bauer and Caruso played, the Bulls' record was 18 wins and 7 losses, with a winning rate of up to 72%,000; while when the two of them were absent, the Bulls' record was 21 wins and 18 losses, with a winning rate of only 53.8%, and the gap was very large. Therefore, for the Bulls, as long as they can survive this difficult period, when the team lineup is complete, they will still be a very competitive playoff team, and will bring a lot of trouble to several other eastern powerhouse teams.