Now would be a good time to remind yourself that the Chicago Bulls are in a rebuild ... and rebuilds can get ugly.
The new-look Bulls are already off to a relatively rough start. They were pummelled in their season's first matchup with the Toronto Raptors, suffering the steepest opening night loss in franchise history. Thanks to their bench, Tiago Splitter at least earned his first win as head coach in Milwaukee, but then the wheels fell off again in their first outing at the United Center. The third quarter, in particular, was a downright mess.
With that said, fans have been able to stomach the ups and downs thus far. A big reason for that is the play of Caleb Wilson, who is off to the best start by a Bulls rookie since Michael Jordan. Is there a chance that he continues on this record-setting pace? It's possible, but even that may not fully mask the troubles that lie ahead.
When the schedule dropped, it was hard not to wince at the Bulls' first few weeks of action. The roster may not have been fully set at the time, but that didn't make much of a difference. Even for a contending team, the Bulls' first 13 games looked like a gauntlet.
Chicago Bulls Schedule Through November 16
Oct. 21 – @ Raptors (L)
Oct. 23 – @ Bucks (W)
Oct. 24 – vs. Wizards (L)
Oct. 26 – @ Celtics
Oct. 28 – vs. Knicks
Oct. 30 – @ Celtics
Nov. 2 – @ 76ers
Nov. 4 – @ Knicks
Nov. 8 – vs. 76ers
Nov. 11 – vs. Spurs
Nov. 13 – vs. Hawks
Nov. 14 – @ Timberwolves
Nov. 16 – @ Cavaliers
First things first, this means that six of the Bulls' first eight games come on the road. That's the most since the shortened 2011-12 season. And as if that wasn't challenging enough for a young squad, they will face a long list of expected playoff teams.
Indeed, the Bulls' next six games are made up entirely of matchups against the reigning champion Knicks, the revamped 76ers, and the always-competitive Celtics. Then, after having to play each of those teams two times, they will get to see Victor Wembanyama, the emerging Hawks, the undefeated Timberwolves, and a reigning Eastern Conference Finals participant.
Have mercy (and not in the Uncle Jesse from Full House kind of way)!
The good news is that a stretch like this should come with plenty of teachable moments for a young team. At the same time, assuming that a fair share of these games don't go the Bulls' way, it could be difficult for this roster to keep its focus. That's when Tiago Splitter will have to prove he's capable of motivating a locker room.
Having said that, it sure doesn't hurt that Chicago's star rookie is already talking like a 10-year vet:
“Day-by-day," Wilson said of how to handle the upcoming slate. "Every matchup is its own thing … Every game we go out there with the approach that we need to be great players and do what we need to because it’s about us.”
Everything starts on Monday night at TD Garden against the revamped Celtics. After an opening-day loss to the Pistons, Jayson Tatum and Paul George bounced back strongly with a 107-103 victory over the Knicks.
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