Miraculously, the Chicago Bulls remain in playoff contention. Despite losing six consecutive games, Chicago has remained in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Moreover, the Bulls have continued to hold on to this position since January 1.
The bottom third of the East remained stagnant for quite some time. Following the Bulls are the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards. All five of the aforementioned squads have been relegated to 11 through 15 in the standings since mid-December.
There hasn't been much shakeup near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. However, a recently developed reshuffling has already begun. The Nets knocked off the 76ers on February 22 to take control of the 11th spot. Following the loss, there have been discussions surrounding Philadelphia star Joel Embiid. Whether the 7-footer needs surgery to address a bothersome left knee. The former MVP mustered merely 14 points in the loss to Brooklyn.
With the 76ers already tumbling down the standings and the troublesome news regarding Embiid, expect Philadelphia to potentially finish 13th in the East—especially if Embiid is sidelined for the rest of the season. Nonetheless, the Bulls will surely rival the 76ers losing ways as the season comes to a close.
Chicago's draft positioning could see a major shakeup
Philadelphia is the only team with a longer losing streak than Chicago. The Sixers have lost seven straight contests. Coincidentally, the Bulls' next game is against the reeling 76ers. Chicago and Philadelphia will square off on February 24 in the City of Brotherly Love. At least one of the losing streaks will end (we think).
While a Chicago versus Philadelphia matchup leaves much to be desired at the stage of the season, it holds a lot of weight. The Bulls will most likely fall to 11th place in the standings if they fall to the 76ers. While Chicago and Philadelphia are battling, the Nets will simultaneously face off against the 9-47 Wizards.
If the Bulls lose, they'll be merely half a game ahead of the 12th-place 76ers. In one night, Chicago's draft position could jump from eighth to seventh. Although the difference in position is minimal, the seventh slot comes with a 32.0 percent chance of landing in the top four—a six percent increase over eight. Furthermore, sixth comes with a 37.2 percent chance of landing in the top four and a 9.0 percent chance of earning the prized, first-overall pick.
While earning a top-three selection is a long shot, the Bulls could realistically finish with the NBA's fifth-worst record. The NBA's current fifth-worst team, the Toronto Raptors, recently made moves to improve their roster by trading for former All-Star Brandon Ingram. In addition to adding Ingram, the Raptors are finally healthy after months of being ravaged by injuries.
The Bulls' contest against the 76ers may not mean much to a national audience, but the draft positioning implications are real. Looking ahead, the Bulls host the Raptors on February 28. Even though it's still only February, Chicago's next few games carry significance.
