5 Bold Predictions for the Chicago Bulls During 2014-15 Season
It would be pointless to say that the Chicago Bulls are entering the basketball year with high expectations, because there was never a time when the bar was set low during Tom Thibodeau’s head coaching tenure. Both he and his players had the utmost confidence in their ability to win regardless of personnel deficiencies.
This franchise has weathered two storms without superstar Derrick Rose and managed to compile a winning record, two playoff berths and a second-round postseason appearance over that span.
With the former MVP back in the fold, along with some very notable free-agent and draft acquisitions, the Bulls are not only still winners but genuine contenders.
There is a great possibility that the upcoming campaign will be one of the most magical runs in team history; no goal should be too lofty. With that established, here are some bold yet plausible forecasts for the Bulls’ 2014-15 season.
1. They Will Be a Top-10 Three-Point Shooting Team
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Even with their return to contention back in 2010, the Bulls have never been a particularly dangerous team from beyond the arc. Their best rank in three-point percentage under Thibodeau was fourth-best over the course of 2011-12, but they were 18th in three-pointers attempted that same year.
Much of it was a roster issue. There always seemed to be a long-range specialist on the roll but only streaky shooters beyond that. If the hand of Mike Dunleavy or predecessor Kyle Korver wasn’t hot, there was no dependable second option to pick up the slack.
Business is about to boom from downtown this season. The aforementioned Dunleavy is back along with sharpshooting rookie Doug McDermott and European sniper Nikola Mirotic.
This group will get a lot of quality looks as a result of Rose and Jimmy Butler’s slashing as well as Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah’s post play. When the streaky hands of Kirk Hinrich and Aaron Brooks are on point, that gives Chicago up to five deep threats on a given night.
The three-point line should be a lot kinder to the Bulls, and Thibodeau will definitely embrace the shot as a more integral part of the offensive arsenal.
2. This Team Will Win 65 Games
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Thibodeau’s head-coaching career is still pretty young with 2014-15 being his fifth season, but he’s had great success, especially in the regular season, winning 65.7 percent of his games.
It’s not that big of a leap to set the bar in the win column at 65. In Thibodeau’s first two seasons as Chicago’s head coach, his winning percentage was 75.7; that is 62 out of 82 games. The common link between those two years and the current run is a healthy Rose.
Not only is having the Chicago native back a big deal, but surrounding him with arguably the best talent he’s ever had is also major. Everything on this team is an improvement over the one that used to challenge the Miami Heat for Eastern Conference supremacy: better shooters, legitimate post players, a deeper bench and viable rookies.
That is more than enough to add three more victories to the win column. This club has won numerous games on heart and effort alone. Now that the Bulls have exceptional talent to go with that fighting spirit, nothing short of domination should be expected.
3. There Will Be Multiple All-Star Selections
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It should not be surprising to see numerous Bulls players chosen to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2015 All-Star Game. The East has experienced such a dramatic redistribution of talent that there are bound to be ripple effects that influence the selection.
Let’s take a look at the 2014 roster and then break down why and how Chicago could send its own delegation to New York in February of 2015:
| Player | Position |
| 1. Carmelo Anthony (Knicks) | Forward |
| 2. Paul George (Pacers) | Forward |
| 3. LeBron James (Heat) | Forward |
| 4. Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers) | Guard |
| 5. Dwyane Wade (Heat) | Guard |
| 6. Chris Bosh (Heat) | Forward/Center |
| 7. DeMar DeRozan (Raptors) | Guard |
| 8. Roy Hibbert (Pacers) | Center |
| 9. Joe Johnson (Nets) | Guard |
| 10. Paul Millsap (Hawks) | Forward |
| 11. Joakim Noah (Bulls) | Center |
| 12. John Wall (Wizards) | Guard |
Of everyone on this list, James and Anthony will surely be chosen again. Rose’s return likely bumps either Irving or Wall. George’s injury strikes him off, and that probably removes Hibbert as well as he was a beneficiary of his teammate’s presence.
It remains to be seen how Bosh and Wade will perform in the post-Heatles era; however, Bosh seems like he can perform well enough for another selection. Millsap has to adjust to the return of Al Horford; their coexistence will affect each other’s chances of making the team.
With all of this potential flux, the Bulls could use their fast-improving chemistry to make strong cases for Rose, Gasol and Noah. If Butler can maintain his level of play, he could be this year’s DeRozan.
Thibodeau does a great job of quickly getting his team to jell. Once he gets his guys firing on all cylinders, there may be too many players to ignore once it’s time to choose representatives.
4. Multiple Season-End Awards Will Be Earned
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Keeping with the theme of multiplicity, the Bulls are also in a position to rack up a good amount of end-of-year accolades. Their best chances are for Coach of the Year, Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year.
Thibodeau has been considered one of the best coaches in the league since he took the reins back in 2010. Over the last couple of seasons he has actually overachieved by keeping his club above .500 and in the playoffs despite not having his best player.
He now has the deepest, most talented roster of his tenancy and the opportunity to do things he’s only been able to conceive in years past. Whatever success this team experiences will be largely due to his strategizing. If he can muster a result that looks like his 2010-11 debut, he can expect to add a second Red Auerbach Trophy to his mantle.
The Most Improved Player recognition was first awarded in the 1985-86 season, and no Chicago Bulls player has ever earned it. Butler will change that.
Although he posted a career-high 13.1 points-per-game average last year, the former Marquette Golden Eagle’s shooting percentages took a huge hit. This season, he has the advantage of being flanked by much better talent. This will help ease defensive pressure and open his game.
Butler has played in six preseason contests, dropping at least 18 points in four of those games, including two 20-plus-point performances. He will continue to benefit from his surrounding teammates’ talents as opponents would most certainly rather yield the floor to him than let Rose and Gasol run amok. Butler will get his first taste of NBA hardware.
Reserve power forward Taj Gibson fell short of claiming the Sixth Man of the Year award last season after losing out to prolific reserve scorer Jamal Crawford. During the preseason, the former USC Trojan has looked to pick up right where he left off and show that he is still deserving of consideration.
Gibson has improved his face-up game, finishes with better control at the rim and can still hit the mid-range jumper. Since he will still get quality minutes, there’s no reason to think he will be denied for two consecutive years.
5. Here Comes Title No. 7
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There is still some trepidation about Rose’s health. The Bulls’ best (and only) shot at winning a title this year depends wholly on a pair of knees that have each suffered a traumatic injury and took away two years of what could have been very successful basketball.
Why should anyone think this season will be any different than the previous two?
First, look to the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. That regimen involved frequent practices and a very compact tournament schedule; Rose handled it without incident.
During the preseason he has played two pairs of back-to-back games and two games that had only a day’s rest in between.
The former Memphis Tiger has not forced the issue on the court. He has played in the flow, making the smarter extra pass and attacking when it was most advantageous. The culmination of allowing the game to open up to him manifested in the contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
During that exhibition, Rose scored 30 points while shooting 67 percent from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. Although the game ended with a loss, seeing his Windy City Assassin mode gave people a lot of hope.
In an article by Sam Smith of Bulls.com, Noah said of watching Rose’s display, “Feels great...Just seeing him move like that is big for our team. He is definitely one of our big guns; he’s our big gun. To see him play like that, I know how hard he’s worked to get there. If we just keep improving we can do something special.”
There is no question what is meant by “something special.” This club has been hungry for a title since 2010. Under Thibodeau, the Bulls have experienced a year of coming up short followed by three seasons of something out of a Lemony Snicket series.
One can’t dwell on that past or use it as an indicator for what the future holds. This team is back to being a force, and it will finally break through to conquer the NBA.
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