CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 20: Coby White #0 of the Chicago Bulls is congratulated by Javonte Green #24 of the Chicago Bulls at. the end of the game against the Houston Rockets at the United Center on December 20, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bulls have just one player who’s played in the NBA Finals. That would be Alex Caruso, who won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
The only other player to play in a Conference Finals series in DeMar DeRozan, who did so as a member of the Toronto Raptors in 2016. Although that was six years ago, it’s safe to say DeRozan would like to forget the way that series ultimately unfolded.
The fact is, this year’s team is primarily comprised of players with little to no playoff experience. Although the written rules of the games do not change from the regular season to the postseason, the game is officiated much differently and the dynamics are different altogether.
A drive to the basket that may typically result in two free throws for Zach LaVine in the regular season, may not receive a whistle during the playoffs. Instead, the other team will have secured the rebound and be heading the other way for a scoring opportunity of their own. That sudden change in reality can be hard to adjust to.
If a relatively young, inexperienced team like the Bulls can look forward to playing the majority of their playoff games in the United Center, it gives them a psychological advantage they would not have otherwise.
There’s a big difference when the playoff atmosphere features 20,000 fans booing the referee when a call goes against you, as opposed to those same fans yelling at a fever pitch any time you stand at the free throw line.
The added confidence in playing at home could determine the outcome of the game. The team must keep this in mind as they jockey for position the rest of the season.
Chicago Bulls must pursue the number one seed.</p>
<p>Although last season’s NBA Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns featured two teams who did not finish first in their respective conferences, the fact remains that more often than not, one or both of the top seeds in the playoffs make it to the championship round.</p>
<p>In a surprising turn of events, the Bulls are not just a playoff team this season – they must be included in any serious discussion of Eastern Conference contenders. That is why pursuing the best record in the East should become a priority for the team this season, though.</p>
<h2>The Chicago Bulls are in a tight race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They must not shy away from pursuing the number one seed.</h2>
<p>So far, the battle for dominance in the Eastern Conference has featured the usual suspects – the Brooklyn Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat. All three teams have been hit with injuries to key players, as well as lineup changes due to health-and-safety protocols.</p>
<p>However, Chicago’s insertion into the conversation cannot be seen as a fluke. Monday night’s win against the Atlanta Hawks was their fourth in a row. If they were going to suddenly disappear, they would’ve done it by now. Chicago’s ability to win games is not an apparition, it’s their new identity.</p>
<p>The theory often circulated among NBA fans and pundits is that the regular season doesn’t matter. Those who feel this way explain their position by saying that simply making the playoffs is enough; once the postseason begins the rest goes out the window.</p>
<p>The Chicago Bulls cannot listen to this type of chatter. If they plan to go deep in the playoffs, having homecourt advantage gives them the best shot at doing so. Let’s take a closer look at why the Bulls should actively pursue the number one seed in the East this season.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/28/chicago-bulls-one-seed-east/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Huge morale booster </a>
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<img class="wp-image-439912 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/28/chicago-bulls-one-seed-east/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2409,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1360246085.jpeg" alt="Chicago Bulls" width="3200" height="2409" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1360246085.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1360246085-768x578.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 20: Coby White #0 of the Chicago Bulls is congratulated by Javonte Green #24 of the Chicago Bulls at. the end of the game against the Houston Rockets at the United Center on December 20, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>The Chicago Bulls NEED to get the one seed in the East: Huge morale booster</h2>
<p>The Chicago Bulls have just one player who’s played in the NBA Finals. That would be Alex Caruso, who won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.</p>
<p>The only other player to play in a Conference Finals series in DeMar DeRozan, who did so as a member of the Toronto Raptors in 2016. Although that was six years ago, it’s safe to say DeRozan would like to forget the way that series ultimately unfolded.</p>
<p>The fact is, this year’s team is primarily comprised of players with little to no playoff experience. Although the written rules of the games do not change from the regular season to the postseason, the game is officiated much differently and the dynamics are different altogether.</p>
<p>A drive to the basket that may typically result in two free throws for Zach LaVine in the regular season, may not receive a whistle during the playoffs. Instead, the other team will have secured the rebound and be heading the other way for a scoring opportunity of their own. That sudden change in reality can be hard to adjust to.</p>
<p>If a relatively young, inexperienced team like the Bulls can look forward to playing the majority of their playoff games in the United Center, it gives them a psychological advantage they would not have otherwise.</p>
<p>There’s a big difference when the playoff atmosphere features 20,000 fans booing the referee when a call goes against you, as opposed to those same fans yelling at a fever pitch any time you stand at the free throw line.</p>
<p>The added confidence in playing at home could determine the outcome of the game. The team must keep this in mind as they jockey for position the rest of the season.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/28/chicago-bulls-one-seed-east/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Big advantage in close series </a>
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<span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> No one deserves success more than DeMar DeRozan </a> </div>
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