The Rise of the 2021-2022 Chicago Bulls

By Daniel Schiffman ‘23
    The Chicago Bulls, led by Demar DeRozan, currently sit at second place in the National Basketball Association’s Eastern Conference. The Bulls have been an average-at-best franchise for the past five years, occasionally making the Playoffs as one of the last seeds, yet often having far worse outcomes. In 2017 the Bulls had a record of 41-41, and entered the playoffs as the eighth seed. That same year they were defeated in the first round by the Boston Celtics, who won in 6 games. Ever since, they have been one of the worst teams in the league, with a record of 22-60 in 2019. 

Senior Eli Berman said, “The Bulls have been a joke for the majority of years since Jordan’s retirement, besides for the few good years they had with Derrick Rose.”
    In more recent years, Zach Lavine has emerged as the middling team’s star. In 2021 he averaged an impressive 27.4 points, 4.9 assists, and 5 rebounds and was named an All-Star for the first time. These statistics may be somewhat inflated because of Lavine’s weak supporting cast; however, his ability is clear. Berman said on the player’s breakout year that “Lavine transformed from a raw athlete, role player-type, into a true star.”  Despite his impressive play though, the Bulls had a record of 31-41, only good enough for the eleventh seed. 
    After the recent disappointing years of Bulls basketball, the Bulls management made moves to make the team more competitive this season. 
Their first move came in March of 2021, when the Bulls traded for 2021 All-Star Nikola Vucevic. The next plays came in rapid succession. In early August 2021, the Bulls traded for former All-Star guard Demar DeRozan from the San Antonio Spurs and signed up-and-coming point guard Lonzo Ball from the New Orleans Pelicans and solid bench player Alex Caruso from the Lakers. After these moves, excitement for the Bulls’ season began to build among NBA fans.
    Senior Ilan Feldman said, “The Bulls were the winners of the offseason by acquiring Demar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball. Those acquisitions greatly improved their chances at competing in the Eastern Conference.”
Fans’ excitement was not misplaced. The Bulls started off 6-1 in their first seven games, and have continued their success with a record of 28-16.
Leading the charge are the Bulls’ big three: DeRozan, Lavine, and Vucevic. 
Lavine started right where he left off last season. He is averaging 24.9 points, 4.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds. 
DeRozan was traded to the Spurs in 2018 from the Toronto Raptors, where he was the franchise player and has not been an All-Star since. However, this year, DeRozan has made a resurgence, again becoming a leader of a championship contender. 
Freshman Jesse Schiffman said, “DeRozan has shocked the world with his play after years of decline.  He is averaging 26 points, 4.8 assists, and 5 rebounds. He elevates his teammates with his wide range of skills.”  With those numbers and the Bulls’ impressive record, DeRozan has a strong case for Most Valuable Player this season. 
Vucevic has put in a solid effort this year too, averaging 16.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
As the all-star break approaches, the Bulls will look to keep up their success and continue it into the playoffs and perhaps the Finals. In a season rocked by COVID-19 absences and stark competition and volatility, the Bulls have as good a shot as any team to go all the way