Bulls Can Talk A Good Game, But Playoffs Will Deliver A Harsh Reality

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls are talking a good game as they prepare for their first NBA playoff appearance in five years. But, deep down, considering the reality and the opponent they’ll be facing starting Sunday in Milwaukee, even they have to know that talk is cheap.

For all of the Bulls’ belief in their talent, for all of their confidence that they have the star power to play with anyone in the Eastern Conference, and for all of the words they’ll use to try to convince their fans to ignore the fact they haven’t beaten the Milwaukee Bucks once this season, nothing short of proving it matters.

No one can blame or fault the Bulls for believing in themselves heading into their first-round series against the Bucks. It wasn’t that long ago when they were one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams and when DeMar DeRozan was in line for MVP honors by delivering one late-game set of heroics after another and stirring this city's basketball-loving community into a frenzy.

But that was before the injuries started to pile up along with the losses to everyone in front of them in the Eastern Conference’s standings. But that's all in the past now. All that matters now is that despite all of the excitement the Bulls generated and for all of the ways they got their fan base to believe that they could beat any team on any given day, they are a much different team now.

And this Bulls team isn’t good enough to beat the Bucks — at least not in a series that will extend their season.

In their four losses to Milwaukee this season, the Bulls have lost by an average of 14.2 points per game, which was made worse by a 28-point blowout loss last month. The Bulls' first two losses to the defending NBA champions were determined by a total of 10 points before players like point guard Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, and others struggled to stay healthy. Once the injuries started to add up, so did the losses, which quickly changed the Bulls' championship-contending capabilities.

The fact Billy Donovan has gotten the Bulls back to the playoffs represents a good first step. It’s been a while and the fact Donovan’s predecessors couldn’t deliver playoff success cost them their jobs. If you’re a long-time Bulls fan who grew up in the dominating Jordan era where NBA titles became the norm in this city, the last handful of seasons has provided plenty of frustration.

So, the fact the Bulls are back in the postseason should count for something. It would mean more if they were playing at full strength and had the ability to perhaps win the first-round series. But considering the way the season ended with losing streaks and stretches of inconsistent play and a woeful record against the best teams in the Eastern Conference, to think the season extends beyond one opponent is wishful thinking at best.

While no one can begrudge Bulls players like Ayo Dosunmu and his teammates for talking a good game and for liking their chances against the Bucks and beyond, barring a minor miracle, words are just words. The only proof will be found in victories, which have come at a premium since the Bulls started their deep descent down the Eastern Conference standings in the second half of the season.

To think that will change now and that the Bulls will suddenly find themselves playing at a championship level is only fooling yourself. The fact the playoffs begin on Easter —a day when rising from the dead is celebrated by Christians around the world — doesn't mean that ability will carry over to this city's NBA franchise.

Yes, right now, the Bulls are a playoff team, but they’re not much more than that. And once the Bucks are done with them, Bulls fans will have to wait until next year to see how good this team really can be.

Because this year, that ship has sailed.