The Chicago Bulls have lost three straight games and four of their last five outings. Thanks to the NBA’s recent announcement, the Bulls could see their ominous slump continue.
Chicago was supposed to face the Los Angeles Clippers on January 21.
That game has been moved to January 21, with the Clippers having several games on their schedule moved around in the wake of local wildfires that, per CBS’ Emily May Czachor on January 16, have killed at least 25 people.
“The NBA announced today the rescheduling of two games that were postponed last week due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles and another game that was postponed due to weather conditions in Atlanta,” the league announced on X on January 15. “Additionally, six other scheduling changes were made to accommodate the rescheduling.”
The Bulls followed suit with an announcement of their own.
“Schedule Update: Our game vs. the Los Angeles Clippers has been moved from 1/21 to 1/20,” the Bulls’ announcement on X read. “Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 pm CT.”
For the Bulls, the NBA’s change could prove particularly ominous.
They will be on the second leg of a back-to-back in that game now, a situation they will enter with a 1-7 record following their loss to the Atlanta Hawks on January 15.
The Bulls will now go from LA to San Francisco to face the Golden State Warriors on a three-game trip that starts with the Portland Trail Blazers, who owe Chicago a first-round pick the next time it makes the postseason.
Bulls Have Lost Homecourt Advantage
The United Center, where the Bulls play their home games, is affectionately referred to as the Madhouse on Madison.
That is even the name of the on-site team store.
However, this season has seen visiting teams do most of the damage at the United Center. The Bulls are 8-14 in their supposed friendly confines, losing three straight there entering their contest with the Charlotte Hornets on January 17.
Their current .364 winning percentage at home is the franchise’s worst mark since the 2018-19 season, per Stathead.
It would be their eighth-worst all-time.
Conversely, the Bulls are 10-9 on the road. Their 52.6% win rate would be their best mark since the 2014-15 season and their 12th-best all-time. The Bulls will have a slightly road-heavy schedule the rest of the way, so they need this trend to hold, especially following the NBA’s ruling.
Bulls on Track to Keep 1st-Round Pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Similar to how the Bulls are owed a first-round pick by the Blazers, Chicago owes its 2025 first-rounder to the San Antonio Spurs from the DeMar DeRozan trade in 2021. However, the pick is top-10 protected.
Entering play on January 16, Tankathon projects the Bulls’ pick to be the No. 9 overall selection. They would get to keep it if that holds through the rest of the campaign.
Notably, the Bulls’ outgoing pick is on the same timeline as the incoming one from the Blazers.
The Bulls could pivot into a rebuild and hold onto their first-rounders until 2028. Then, the selection owed will downgrade to a second-round pick. The Bulls would essentially be swapping picks with a second potentially coming from the Blazers who are already rebuilding.
It is a better alternative. The Bulls lack flexibility not controlling their draft pick. It limits their trade options to upgrade the roster before the deadline.
The trade deadline is on February 6, giving the Bulls roughly three weeks to plan accordingly.
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