Bulls contractually obligated to finish season, does anything in these games actually matter?

it's an injury-depleted 'competitive' team heading into the final stretch

After a week off from Bulls games, and multiple weeks off from caring about them…yep, still mad about the trade deadline and Bulls management outing themselves as hopeless. Something that’s continued since, even though they’ve gone back into lockdown until after they’re officially done this season.

They have played 4 games, and are 4-0 in terms of AK-Dubs (staying competitive in that game). That’s really all we need to know, as I struggle to think of anything we can root for otherwise, good or bad.

We’ve already seen that there is no low goalpost they won’t move to call a success (or excuse). If they don’t make the playoffs, they’ll say at least they have a record better than their 5-14 start. If they don’t make the play-in (pretty impossible considering the ‘competition’), they’ll blame injuries. There’s no rumor of a new addition to the team, and historically buyout guys aren’t that exciting anyway. The recently-extended injury timelines of Patrick Williams and Torrey Craig mean that they’ll be running the few capable players remaining into the ground and usually starting at a physical disadvantage. There will be more use of the implied-irreplaceable Andre Drummond to compensate, which scuttles any progress made in terms of shot quality and general offensive dynamism that was a promised goal preseason.

Am I missing anything? It’s pretty bleak. At the least, AKME regime should be launched because they’ve pitted Bulls fans against the team and each other.

Tonight there’s a home, marquee matchup where there’s that 5% potential of an actual AK-loss: embarrassment in front of the paying customer. The Boston Celtics are the best team in the conference and fully healthy. They stomped the Bulls at the aforementioned 5-14 nadir of Chicago’s season. After which we all remember what happened next: AK said something, but didn’t do anything besides maybe tell Zach LaVine to stay away.

Here’s Coby White’s scouting report from earlier today:

from Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune, stolen off TwXtter

Had to do slight updates to the Celtics roster snapshot. Even at their level they made a goddamned trade. Three of them!

The Bulls are also fully rested, and even had a couple practices. Which makes it somewhat strange that they didn’t use that opportunity to sign someone. They’ve consistently said their coach can’t handle new additions to the locker room. Maybe, despite sourced reporting suggesting otherwise, they can’t actually afford to sign someone. Or nobody wants to come there. Or they’re waiting for a target that hasn’t been bought out yet (bring Otto Porter home!).

There are 3 nights off after this game, so that’s another opportunity I suppose. Also an opportunity for fans to stop caring.