Bulls 2020-21 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

The Billy Donovan era of the Chicago Bulls will officially begin on Dec. 23 against the Atlanta Hawks as the 2020-21 NBA season gets underway. 

While it figures to be another rebuilding year in Chicago, there's a new direction with Arturas Karnisovas taking over as executive vice president of basketball operations. 

It'll be up to Donovan and Karnisovas to figure out which pieces are most vital moving forward while assessing the development of forward Lauri Markkanen, center Wendell Carter Jr., guard Coby White and the team's top draft pick, Patrick Williams 

The expectations may be low this season, but there is plenty at stake for the future of the franchise. As Donovan looks for a fresh start after failing to win a title with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago needs a revitalization as desperately as any franchise in the NBA. 

2020-21 Bulls Schedule Details

Season Opener: Dec. 23 vs. Atlanta Hawks

Championship Odds: +13000 (via FanDuel Sportsbook)

First-Half Schedule: NBA.com

Top Matchups

Oklahoma City Thunder: Jan. 15

Donovan will get his first crack against his former team on Jan. 15 

OKC lured the successful college coach away from Florida in 2015 following a 20-year stint with the Gators that resulted in two national titles and a 467-186 record. He took the Thunder to the Western Conference Finals in his first year but failed to advance past the first round of the postseason in the four consecutive years that followed. 

The two sides mutually parted ways after the 2019-20 season, and the Bulls quickly struck a deal to bring the 55-year-old to Chicago. 

Both sides will get a chance to show the other what they're missing when they link up. 

New York Knicks: Feb. 1 

Chicago isn't the only flagship NBA team undergoing a rebuild. The New York Knicks are also desperate for relevance. To regain their status as one of the top franchises in basketball, the club hired former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau to run the team. 

This won't only be a matchup between a coach and his former team, but it will also be a measuring stick for where the two teams are in their development. 

It would be a fantastic sign for the league if both the Bulls and Knicks could turn around at the same time, but that may be wishful thinking at this point. 

In any case, few games look as meaningful from the schedule release as those scheduled between the two former dynasties. 

Season Forecast

This season may well come down to how watchable the Bulls are. 

No one expects Chicago to contend in a top-heavy Central Division featuring the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers. The best-case scenario would seemingly feature the Bulls sneaking into a postseason berth, but if this team is playing above its expectations, selling at the trade deadline may be the best bet for Karnisovas and Donovan. 

This will be a year for the team's newest hires to explore what the current roster has and needs. Donovan was brought in to develop the next core group of players while Karnisovas goes out and finds those guys—to say nothing of a few marquee free agents down the road.

None of this will happen overnight, though. Bulls fans should expect progress from individual players in 2020-21, but that doesn't mean it will translate to wins right away.

Chicagoans will want to watch this team with an eye toward the future and hope for signs of life after moving on from head coach Jim Boylen. 

Even if all the "ifs" turn out positive, this isn't a team anywhere close to contending. Be ready to judge this team based on where it's likely heading more than anything else. 

Record Prediction: 20-52 

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