Bulls’ playoff picture: No. 5 seed with 6 games to go originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The regular NBA season is starting to wrap up, and that means the pressure is on.
The Eastern Conference standings are far from being decided with over a week left to play, but the Bulls’ playoff outlook is promising. Chicago (44-32) is currently the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference going into this week’s remaining regular-season games.
The 2022 NBA Playoffs begin on Saturday, April 16. The Bulls will look to maintain their spot in the top six and avoid having to participate in the Play-In Tournament from April 12-15. All first-round matchups will be played either April 16 or 17. The NBA finals will begin Thursday, June 2 and last until June 19.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Bulls’ presence in the playoffs:
Where are the Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings?
The Bulls are currently the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference standings with a 44-32 record.
Here are the current Eastern Conference standings:
|
Team |
GB From No. 1 |
|
1. Miami Heat, 48-28 |
— |
|
2. Milwaukee Bucks, 47-28 |
0.5 |
|
3. Boston Celtics, 47-29 |
1.0 |
|
4. Philadelphia 76ers, 46-29 |
1.5 |
|
5. Chicago Bulls, 44-32 |
4.0 |
|
6. Toronto Raptors, 43-32 |
4.5 |
|
7. Cleveland Cavaliers, 42-33 |
5.5 |
|
8. Brooklyn Nets, 40-36 |
8.0 |
|
9. Charlotte Hornets, 39-37 |
9.0 |
|
10. Atlanta Hawks, 38-37 |
9.5 |
Who would be the Bulls’ first-round opponent?
The Bulls’ first-round opponent would be the No. 4 seed Philadelphia 76ers as of March 29’s games.
Here are the rest of the first-round Eastern Conference matchups if the regular season ended today and the top-seeded Play-In teams advanced:
|
Matchup |
Teams
|
|
Seed 1 vs. Seed 8 |
Heat (No. 1) vs. Nets (No. 8) |
|
Seed 4 vs. Seed 5 |
76ers (No. 4) vs. Bulls (No. 5) |
|
Seed 3 vs. Seed 6 |
Celtics (No. 3) vs. Raptors (No. 6) |
|
Seed 2 vs. Seed 7 |
Bucks (No. 2) vs. Cavaliers (No. 7) |
What is the Bulls’ remaining schedule?
The NBA regular season ends Sunday, April 10. The Play-In Tournament will begin on Tuesday, April 12, and the NBA playoffs will begin Saturday, April 16 with the first-round matchups.
With several games against opponents also in playoff positions, the Bulls are going to have to make this last week count. Chicago’s remaining regular-season schedule consists of:
|
Matchup |
Date and Time |
|
Clippers vs. Bulls |
Thursday, March 31 at 7 p.m. CT |
|
Heat vs. Bulls |
Saturday, April 2 at 7 p.m. CT |
|
Bucks vs. Bulls |
Tuesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. CT |
|
Celtics vs. Bulls |
Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. CT |
|
Hornets vs. Bulls |
Friday, April 8 at 7 p.m. CT |
|
Bulls vs. Timberwolves |
Sunday, April 10 at TBD |
What are the Bulls’ playoff odds?
The Bulls currently have the sixth-best odds to win the Eastern Conference, according to PointsBet. They have the 12th-best odds to win the NBA Finals.
Bulls to win the East, +2000
Bulls to win the NBA Finals, +4000
You can find all NBA futures right here.
Editor’s note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.
