Chicago Bulls Are Showing They Can Win in a Variety of Ways

The Chicago Bulls are sitting on a 6-1 record on top of the Central Division and are tied with Miami for the best record in the East.

While winning games is always the goal of any sports competition, knowing how to win is what separates the pretenders from the contenders. Over the course of the first week, the Chicago Bulls have already given numerous examples of how to come away with the victory.

Chicago’s six wins break down into two last-second game-winners, two blowouts and two wins as a result of complete game control.

The last-second wins were probably the most impressive.

Chicago was down double-digits to both the Hawks and the Lakers late in the second. The offense was struggling to make shots and at times it looked like one of the most selfless, fluid teams in the league was out of sync. Chicago kept playing intense defense and kept giving a variety of players opportunities to produce on the offensive end.

They demonstrated composure and poise by sticking to the team defensive plan and capitalized on every opportunity to get back into the game. When the clutch moments presented themselves, the Bulls executed to perfection.

Against the Clippers and the Kings, the Bulls demonstrated their ability to control the flow of the game and dictate the outcome.

In both games, the Bulls never trailed after the first quarter, shot at least 50 percent from the field, and had more than 40 percent of their points scored off of assists. This kind of stat line is indicative of great ball movement, selfless play and good shot selection.

You can go on and on about what went well in the game against the Memphis Grizzlies, but the standout element was the offensive contribution from 11 different players.

Coach Thibodeau took advantage of the wide margin and went deep into his bench to get closer look at what the guys beyond the normal rotation were capable of, a move that revealed some gems like John Lucas III, who scored eight fourth-quarter points.

Chicago’s win over the Detroit Pistons saw more of the same balance with five players scoring in double-digits, 31 team assists and the bench contributing 34 points to the overall total.

If you’re going to win it all, you have to know how to win in as many ways possible.

The NBA postseason presents up to four seven-game series with each opponent bringing their own distinctive set of challenges. Unique game plans are needed as a team progresses deeper into the playoffs.

The versatility that the Chicago Bulls has displayed in the early-season victories show that this team has the flash and guts to win regardless of the circumstances.