Chicago Bulls End First Half of NBA Season On High Note
By Nick Wilder
@NickCWilder
Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
After going through a troublesome slump in the month of January and posting a record of 8-9, the Chicago Bulls were able to earn a crucial win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night. The 113-98 victory extended their winning streak to four games and Chicago heads into the All-Star break with a record of 34-20. Even though the team has to like its current position as the third place team in the Eastern Conference, they will only achieve their goals with a healthy squad.
It was an inconsistent first half of the season for Chicago to say the least, as they’ve only played with their full starting lineup for 16 games this season. On Feb. 10 against the Sacramento Kings, the team was finally able to put their starting five back on the court together for the first time since Jan. 1.
Well, Chicago’s dream of starting a healthy streak of games with their starting group only lasted one half. All-Star Jimmy Butler didn’t play in the second half of Chicago’s victory over the Kings due to a shoulder strain and he also missed Thursday’s game against the Cavaliers.
Chicago boasts a record of 13-3 when they have their starting lineup intact. Two of those losses were excusable, with one coming against the Dallas Mavericks in a thrilling double overtime game, while the other came in a matchup with the red-hot Golden State Warriors. When Chicago has been healthy, they’ve shown they are title contenders and have the ability to compete with anyone in the NBA.
The Bulls can also squeak by teams with a depleted roster at times because of their toughness and energy. However, ultimately, the Bulls are going nowhere in the postseason without a full team at Tom Thibodeau’s disposal.
The team’s inconsistencies this season can be directly attributed to their lack of healthy players. Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol have talked about continuity and defensive communication being issues so far. Those two aspects of a team are very difficult to correct with different rotations being played almost night-to-night. As Chicago heads into the second half of the season, health has to be the team’s number one priority.
Nick Wilder is a featured writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickCWilder and add him to your network on Google.
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