Chicago Bulls' Schedule Breakdown and Record Predictions for January
January is the busiest month of the 2014-15 campaign for the Chicago Bulls, with a diverse compilation of opposition on tap. Over the course of the new year’s opening month, this club will get its first look at some quality Western Conference opponents and a shot at redemption against teams that bested them earlier in the season.
The Bulls really put things together over the course of December, so they are hitting this arduous stretch with the wind at their backs. When breaking down the month’s matchups, it would not be surprising to see them continue their mission of asserting themselves as one the NBA’s top teams.
There are 17 games to be played. Ten of those games are at the United Center, where the Bulls struggled early on. They are 8-6 overall on their own court but have won six of their last seven at home.
Eight of their opponents hail from the West. Derrick Rose and company have been victorious seven out of 12 times when they have faced off against squads residing on the left side of the Mississippi River. To its credit, Chicago has beaten its last four Western Conference foes.
A large part of success in professional sports is related to peaking at the right time. That definitely seems to be the case with the Bulls. If their drive remains consistent, January will be the month that they start to separate themselves from the league’s hoi polloi.
January 1 to January 3
1 of 6
| Opponent | vs. Denver Nuggets | vs. Boston Celtics |
| Date | Thursday, January 1 | Saturday, January 3 |
The Bulls play two home games over the course of the first few days in January, both against teams to whom they have previously lost.
On the surface it would seem like Chicago’s 0-1 record against the Denver Nuggets would make a win over them a bigger priority than one over the Boston Celtics since the two meetings versus the latter have yielded both a victory and a loss; however, evening the score with the Nuggets has no value outside of avoiding a sweep.
Both of these teams are sub-.500 performers and will likely remain as such for the duration of the season. The Bulls will not see Denver again after January 1 but have another encounter against Boston beyond the January 3 contest.
In the long run, wins within the conference can play a factor in playoff seeding if final records are not enough to separate teams. Chicago’s faceoff with Boston is the premier matchup in their early January schedule. This team needs to continue its ascent back to the top of the East, and it can only do that by defeating all intraconference opponents, no matter how lowly.
Overall, the Bulls should come out on top in both of these games, especially since home-court advantage is in play. They have really turned around their sluggish United Center performance. That improvement plus a jelling, complete roster will prove too much for opponents to handle.
Week 1 prediction: 2-0
January 4 to January 10
2 of 6
| Opponent | vs. Houston Rockets | vs. Utah Jazz | @ Washington Wizards | vs. Milwaukee Bucks |
| Date | Monday, January 5 | Wednesday, January 7 | Friday, January 9 | Saturday, January 10 |
January’s first full week of competition features four games that include a mix of struggling, rising and established talent. Three of the four contests are played at home. The last two exhibitions are paired off as a back-to-back, the first of four over the course of the month.
The January 5 match against the Houston Rockets stands out as the most intriguing game.
Just looking at Houston's record, it is not surprising that head coach Kevin McHale’s collection of talent has already won more than 20 games; however, it is startling when you remember that All-Star center Dwight Howard was out of commission for a month.
James Harden has been carrying this team in true MVP fashion; the Rockets are currently fourth in the competitive Western Conference despite playing without their marquee big man for some time.
Houston and Chicago are built similarly—each team has a balanced starting unit with a second string that is deep in the frontcourt. The Bulls have played teams like that before, but none of them presented players of Harden and Howard’s magnitude.
Presently, the Rockets are 6-2 against Eastern Conference teams, going 3-0 on the road. The Bulls have won three out of five in the home games they’ve played against squads from outside of their conference. Matching up for the first time may take Chicago by surprise, which could provide Houston with a sufficient enough opening to steal a win.
As the week progresses, the Bulls go on to play the still-struggling Jazz. Their November 24 meeting at EnergySolutions Arena was a hard-fought contest where the Bulls escaped with a two-point victory. A lot has happened since then. Chicago has gotten a lot better, and Utah is still finding its way. A Bulls win here is likely.
From there, Tom Thibodeau and company go to the nation’s capital to face the Washington Wizards. Led by John Wall, this club is 14-4 at home to date and will be looking to get even after losing to Chicago the first time around.
The week wraps up against the solidly mediocre Milwaukee Bucks. That labeling is a huge improvement considering their dead-last finish in the East last year. They have already topped their 2013-14 win total but are only .500 on the road against their conference contemporaries. Compound that with the loss of Jabari Parker and it’s hard to see the Bucks having enough to pull out an upset.
Week 2 prediction: 2-2
January 11 to January 17
3 of 6
| Opponent | vs. Orlando Magic | vs. Washington Wizards | @ Boston Celtics | vs. Atlanta Hawks |
| Date | Monday, January 12 | Wednesday, January 14 | Friday, January 16 | Saturday, January 17 |
The third week of January has its share of challenges but can also be an opportunity for the Bulls to string together some consecutive wins. It is formatted exactly like the previous week and contains all Eastern Conference opponents. Chicago is 15-5 against the East and should maintain that dominant form with this slate of adversaries.
While being careful to not overlook their first three matches, the Bulls have their eyes on the Atlanta Hawks. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has his team playing well; as a result, the Hawks are second only to the Toronto Raptors. They also remain the only top-three conference team that Chicago has yet to beat.
The December 15 contest at Philips Arena was a successful homestand for the Hawks. They built a modest lead after the first quarter and used their defense to maintain control all the way to victory. The Bulls never scored more than 22 points in any quarter.
This time around, Chicago holds the advantage. Atlanta will be playing its fifth match in seven days. The last four games will be a pair of back-to-backs that touch down in Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto and Chicago. It’s hard to believe the Hawks will have much left in the tank by the time January 17 rolls around.
The Bulls kick off the week against a youthful Orlando Magic squad. Jacque Vaughn has his group of young guys playing sound defense, but they struggle to score. They just don’t have the tools to defeat a team of the Bulls’ caliber.
Washington and Boston are sandwiched in the middle of the week. While the former has the talent to compete, Chicago will prove to be the better club. The sans-Rondo Celtics are back to finding an identity. Their effort against the Bulls will be sincere but hardly enough.
Week 3 prediction: 4-0
January 18 to January 24
4 of 6
| Opponent | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | vs. San Antonio Spurs | @ Dallas Mavericks |
| Date | Monday, January 19 | Thursday, January 22 | Friday, January 23 |
It would seem like the three games in January’s penultimate week would be an easy load compared to the rest of the month’s workload, but all of the games are against clubs with winning records. Two of them are formidable Western Conference teams.
The standout contest is the January 19 road match against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs have assembled a star-studded core in the same vein as the Heatles and with the same front man—LeBron James.
These two teams played early on in the season. Their October 31 overtime thriller gave Cleveland an early win to dangle over Chicago’s head. The Bulls’ resurgence to the top of the East means they have to best their closest rivals. They have to use this game to pull even with their division foe and then pull ahead of the Cavs in the two remaining matchups in February and April.
Chicago gets two days off after its Cleveland game and then finishes the week against the San Antonio Spurs and at the Dallas Mavericks on consecutive nights.
The Spurs can never be counted out as title contenders as long as Gregg Popovich is at the helm. They score well, defend well and play smart. These two teams are evenly matched in personnel from the sideline to the court. Chicago will be looking to make a point and use its desire to be among the league’s elite to beat San Antonio.
The team then travels to Dallas to face the Mavericks. While Rick Carlisle’s team is currently 5-3 against Eastern Conference teams at home, Dallas has light week comprised of only three games and will have had a day of rest when Chicago comes to town. By then, newly acquired point guard Rajon Rondo will be settled into his new team role, and that will give the Bulls a lot to contend with.
Week 4 prediction: 2-1
January 25 to January 31
5 of 6
| Opponent | vs. Miami Heat | @ Golden State Warriors | @ Los Angeles Lakers | @ Phoenix Suns |
| Date | Sunday, January 25 | Tuesday, January 27 | Thursday, January 29 | Friday, January 30 |
January ends with four games—one at home and three that kick off a six-game road trip which spans into February. The Bulls will get a heavy dose of Western Conference competition in this grouping.
This week’s premier contest comes against the Golden State Warriors. It will be the second and last time these teams face off this season. If they played in April, analysts would call it a game with “NBA Finals implications.”
These two clubs played back on December 6 at the United Center. It was close through the first three quarters, and then the Warriors turned it up a notch and pulled away in the last 12 minutes. Chicago has wins over Portland and Memphis; stealing one against Golden State will further cement its credibility as the favorite to not only win the East but an NBA title.
Of the three remaining teams on this week’s slate, the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers are still toiling through their schedules. Miami has a solid collection of players who can improve the team's fortunes, but it’s not enough to get the better of Chicago. The Lakers seem indefinitely condemned to NBA purgatory with no escape in sight. They lost handily to the Bulls on December 25 and will do so again on January 29.
The Phoenix Suns are a talented young bunch. They score a lot, but they give up a lot points as well. Being that lax on defense will not work to their benefit against a team as well-rounded as Chicago. It will be a fun game to watch, but the result will not be a desired one for Suns fans.
Week 5 prediction: 3-1
Final January Tally
6 of 6
Final January record projection: 13-4
October and November made up an adjustment period for the Bulls. They went through a string of injuries that disrupted continuity and delayed chemistry building. By the time December rolled around, all of the key players were healthy, and the team was able to synergize.
Even with their newfound cohesiveness and success, this group has not become complacent. They are aware of the strides made, appreciative of everyone’s effort and know that they can’t relent.
In a December 29 article written by ESPNChicago.com contributor Nick Friedell, Derrick Rose expressed his gratefulness for teammates who are able to shoulder more responsibilities as he continues to work his way back into MVP form:
"First time I've ever had that while I've been in the league. It takes a lot of pressure off everyone, where someone can easily go off for 15 or 20 points within a couple of quarters and put the [opposing] team away pretty quick. It's fun. We don't take it for granted, and we just know that we could always improve every day.
"
If that improvement continues, January will be the month that the Bulls pass getting it together and head toward putting the rest of the NBA on notice.
The potential for this collection of players was apparent since the day it was finalized. Now that the transition period is over, that aptitude is starting to come to fruition. There are no clear favorites to win it all this year, but it is nice to know that the Bulls are building a convincing case for inclusion in the debate.
All scheduling/record information via NBA.com and is accurate as of December 30, 2014.
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