Month-by-Month Predictions for Chicago Bulls 2012-13 Season

With the NBA season quickly approaching, the Interworld is filled with useless predictions of every sort about how teams will do and where they will finish. Of course, there is only one place to go to get 100 percent accuracy, and that's here, where The Most Prescient One, a.k.a Kelly Scaletta will unveil to you the result of every Bulls game this season. 

And, just to show you how serious I am, if I miss even one pick I will grant you free access to all my articles on Bleacher Report for the next year. 

You can't get a deal like that just anywhere. Wait. I'm being told that you actually can. 

I'm also being told that I might be exaggerating my prescience just a tad. 

Still, looking at the Bulls schedule we can get a general view of how the Bulls will do each month. I've predicted game-by-game results, and some will be wrong and hopefully more will be right.

I've also provided an explanation as to what the general trend should be for the month based on whom the Bulls are playing and what the state of the team should be at the time. The trends are more important than the particulars here. 

October/November, 10-4

The Bulls' first month of the season will be better than expected, in large part because of Chicago's friendly schedule. Only four teams the Bulls will play were in the postseason last year. Furthermore of their 18 games, only six are on the road. 

Finally, two games which they would normally be expected to lose without their superstar, Derrick Rose, will also likely be without their own superstars as the Timberwolves will be without Kevin Love and the Mavericks will be without Dirk Nowitzki. 

As a result the Bulls will surprise a lot of prognosticators with a 10-4 start. That will be more a product of their schedule than their play though. Their new bench, especially over the first month, will struggle to work out a rhythm.

Game	Date		Opponent	Result	Wins	Losses
1	Wed, Oct 31, 2012		Sacramento Kings	W	1	0
2	Fri, Nov 2, 2012	@	Cleveland Cavaliers	W	2	0
3	Sat, Nov 3, 2012		New Orleans Hornets	W	3	0
4	Tue, Nov 6, 2012		Orlando Magic	W	4	0
5	Thu, Nov 8, 2012		Oklahoma City Thunder	L	4	1
6	Sat, Nov 10, 2012		Minnesota Timberwolves	W	5	1
7	Mon, Nov 12, 2012		Boston Celtics	L	5	2
8	Wed, Nov 14, 2012	@	Phoenix Suns	W	6	2
9	Sat, Nov 17, 2012	@	Los Angeles Clippers	L	6	3
10	Sun, Nov 18, 2012	@	Portland Trail Blazers	L	6	4
11	Wed, Nov 21, 2012	@	Houston Rockets	W	7	4
12	Sat, Nov 24, 2012	@	Milwaukee Bucks	W	8	4
13	Mon, Nov 26, 2012		Milwaukee Bucks	W	9	4
14	Wed, Nov 28, 2012		Dallas Mavericks	W	10	4

December, 8-8

December won't fare nearly as well for the Chicago Bulls as their schedule gets a whole lot harder. Of their 15 opponents, 10 were in the postseason last year and one other opponent, the Brooklyn Nets, is expected to make it this year. 

Furthermore, six of their seven road games are against potential playoff teams if you count Cleveland as a team that has playoff hopes.  

The Thibodeau era has never seen a three-game losing streak, but the Bulls could see not one, but two such streaks in the month of December. The first three weeks of December should see the worst period the Bulls have had in that time frame, as they will go 4-7. 

After Thibs explodes and/or there is an obligatory players-only meeting, the Bulls will regroup and finish the month strong winning four of their last five. They should be 18-12 at the close of the year. The bench will finally be looking "mobby," and things will be looking up after Thibs' darkest hour. 

G	Date		Opponent	Result	Wins	Losses
15	Sat, Dec 1, 2012		Philadelphia 76ers	L	10	5
16	Tue, Dec 4, 2012		Indiana Pacers	L	10	6
17	Wed, Dec 5, 2012	@	Cleveland Cavaliers	L	10	7
18	Fri, Dec 7, 2012	@	Detroit Pistons	W	11	7
19	Sat, Dec 8, 2012		New York Knicks	W	12	7
20	Tue, Dec 11, 2012		Los Angeles Clippers	W	13	7
21	Wed, Dec 12, 2012	@	Philadelphia 76ers	L	13	8
22	Sat, Dec 15, 2012		Brooklyn Nets	W	14	8
23	Mon, Dec 17, 2012	@	Memphis Grizzlies	L	14	9
24	Tue, Dec 18, 2012		Boston Celtics	L	14	10
25	Fri, Dec 21, 2012	@	New York Knicks	L	14	11
26	Sat, Dec 22, 2012	@	Atlanta Hawks	W	15	11
27	Tue, Dec 25, 2012		Houston Rockets	W	16	11
28	Wed, Dec 26, 2012	@	Indiana Pacers	L	16	12
29	Sat, Dec 29, 2012		Washington Wizards	W	17	12
30	Mon, Dec 31, 2012		Charlotte Bobcats	W	18	12

January, 11-5

January will bring a combination of factors to the Bulls as the team, in particular the bench, will start to get a feel for Tom Thibodeau's system, and it will begin to lock down opponents. That combined with the fact that only six of their opponents for the month are postseason teams will propel the Bulls to a 10-6 record for the month. 

Two other notable things will happen as well. They will get a huge win in Boston on the 18th, their biggest win of the year, as Joakim Noah will have a career game scoring 30 points and grabbing 17 boards, 11 of them on the offensive end. 

They also will end their 11-game win streak against the Milwaukee Bucks as the Bucks will stage a fourth-quarter comeback behind the heroics of Brandon Jennings to notch their first win against the Bulls since April 6, 2010. 

In the news is that Derrick Rose will be cleared for full contact in practices, and rumors of his pending return will run rampant. 

G	Date			Opponent	Result	Wins	Losses
31	Wed, Jan 2, 2013		@	Orlando Magic	W	19	12
32	Fri, Jan 4, 2013		@	Miami Heat	L	19	13
33	Mon, Jan 7, 2013			Cleveland Cavaliers	W	20	13
34	Wed, Jan 9, 2013			Milwaukee Bucks	W	21	13
35	Fri, Jan 11, 2013		@	New York Knicks	L	21	14
36	Sat, Jan 12, 2013			Phoenix Suns	W	22	14
37	Mon, Jan 14, 2013			Atlanta Hawks	L	22	15
38	Wed, Jan 16, 2013		@	Toronto Raptors	W	23	15
39	Fri, Jan 18, 2013		@	Boston Celtics	W	24	15
40	Sat, Jan 19, 2013			Memphis Grizzlies	W	25	15
41	Mon, Jan 21, 2013			Los Angeles Lakers	L	25	16
42	Wed, Jan 23, 2013			Detroit Pistons	W	26	17
43	Fri, Jan 25, 2013			Golden State Warriors	W	27	17
44	Sat, Jan 26, 2013		@	Washington Wizards	W	28	17
45	Mon, Jan 28, 2013			Charlotte Bobcats	W	29	17
46	Wed, Jan 30, 2013		@	Milwaukee Bucks	W	29	17

February, 8-4

He's baa-aaack!

Derrick Rose should come back in February, and my best guess is that it will be the first home game after the All-Star game, which also happens to be against the Miami Heat. 

It's quite possible that this could be the first NBA game with a Goodyear Blimp view because the fans are going to absolutely blow the roof off of the United Center. Anticipate the moment Derrick Rose gets introduced. I know you're choking back the tears even now! Sob. 

After the Bulls struggle with a very tough road schedule against four successive playoff teams, all on the road, followed by a homecoming to play San Antonio and Boston, the Bulls will be headed into the All-Star Break off their toughest stretch of the year. 

Rose's return will reinvigorate the team and the crowd. Rose won't play great in his first game back, but the fact he's playing will inspire the Bulls and they will play fantastic. Chicago will roll the Miami Heat in their biggest win of the year, and that will start a win streak the team will greatly need. 

G	Date			Opponent	Result	Wins	Losses
47	Fri, Feb 1, 2013		@	Brooklyn Nets	L	29	18
48	Sat, Feb 2, 2013		@	Atlanta Hawks	W	30	18
49	Thu, Feb 7, 2013		@	Denver Nuggets	L	30	19
50	Fri, Feb 8, 2013		@	Utah Jazz	W	31	19
51	Mon, Feb 11, 2013			San Antonio Spurs	L	31	20
52	Wed, Feb 13, 2013		@	Boston Celtics	L	31	21
53	Tue, Feb 19, 2013		@	New Orleans Hornets	W	32	21
54	Thu, Feb 21, 2013			Miami Heat	W	33	21
55	Fri, Feb 22, 2013		@	Charlotte Bobcats	W	34	21
56	Sun, Feb 24, 2013		@	Oklahoma City Thunder	W	35	21
57	Tue, Feb 26, 2013			Cleveland Cavaliers	W	36	21
58	Thu, Feb 28, 2013			Philadelphia 76ers	W	37	21

March, 7-7

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is Luol Deng's wrist. With Rose back, Deng will finally relent to the pain and take some games off near the beginning of the month. That's going to have a big impact on both the Bulls' defense and the bench play. 

That, coupled with a tough schedule for the month, which includes nine playoff teams from last year, as well as two more, Minnesota and Golden State which may make the postseason this year, will make March very tough for the Chicago Bulls. 

They'll battle it out though, doing a lot of win one, lose one, and slog through the month. They'll win a very important home game against the Indiana Pacers on the 23rd which will keep them in the Central Division title hunt. 

They will also have signature wins over the Lakers and Heat, though both teams will be shorthanded. 

In the end they'll end up 7-7 for the month, but have a few important wins and a better rested Deng. 

G	Date			Opponent	Result	Wins	Losses
59	Sat, Mar 2, 2013			Brooklyn Nets	W	38	21
60	Sun, Mar 3, 2013		@	Indiana Pacers	W	39	21
61	Wed, Mar 6, 2013		@	San Antonio Spurs	L	39	22
62	Fri, Mar 8, 2013			Utah Jazz	L	39	23
63	Sun, Mar 10, 2013		@	Los Angeles Lakers	W	40	23
64	Wed, Mar 13, 2013		@	Sacramento Kings	L	40	24
65	Fri, Mar 15, 2013		@	Golden State Warriors	W	41	24
66	Mon, Mar 18, 2013			Denver Nuggets	L	41	25
67	Thu, Mar 21, 2013			Portland Trail Blazers	L	41	26
68	Sat, Mar 23, 2013			Indiana Pacers	W	42	26
69	Sun, Mar 24, 2013		@	Minnesota Timberwolves	L	42	27
70	Wed, Mar 27, 2013			Miami Heat	W	43	27
71	Sat, Mar 30, 2013		@	Dallas Mavericks	L	43	28
72	Sun, Mar 31, 2013			Detroit Pistons	W	44	28

April, 6-4

In the final month of the season, the Bulls will finish playing well as Deng will come back and the team will get to full health. Playing together on the fifth for the game against the Magic, the Bulls will win handily. 

However in their fourth game they will have their annual signature-sloppy game and drop a game they should have won to the Detroit Pistons, who will celebrate with utter abandon. 

After that Thibodeau will throw another tantrum and get everyone's head on straight, and the Bulls will win four of their next five. While they will lose to the Heat, it'll be a well-played game by both teams and have many speculating that maybe, after all, this could be this year's Eastern Conference Finals. 

With the Bulls securing the fourth seed after their second win over the Magic for the month, and having no chance at claiming the third, the Bulls will rest their starters and lose their final game against the Magic.

And thus will end the regular season for the 50-32 Chicago Bulls. 

G	Date			Opponent	Result	Wins	Losses
73	Tue, Apr 2, 2013		@	Washington Wizards	W	45	28
74	Thu, Apr 4, 2013		@	Brooklyn Nets	L	45	29
75	Fri, Apr 5, 2013			Orlando Magic	W	46	29
76	Sun, Apr 7, 2013		@	Detroit Pistons	L	46	30
77	Tue, Apr 9, 2013			Toronto Raptors	W	47	30
78	Thu, Apr 11, 2013			New York Knicks	W	48	30
79	Fri, Apr 12, 2013		@	Toronto Raptors	W	49	30
80	Sun, Apr 14, 2013		@	Miami Heat	L	49	31
81	Mon, Apr 15, 2013		@	Orlando Magic	W	50	31
82	Wed, Apr 17, 2013			Washington Wizards	L	50	32