Chicago Sports Exchange: Bulls Losing Ground In Postseason Race, Hawks All But Stalled Out
Currently outside play-in games, Bulls need to gain ground right away
Artūras Karnišovas’ worst nightmare could be a few weeks from playing out.
Either that or praise for including a protection on this year’s draft pick that he sent to Orlando along with Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. is around the corner.
Neither scenario is the best case the Chicago Bulls’ chief front office exec had in mind when he traded for Nikola Vučević and moved the goal posts for this team a month ago.
But with only a dozen games left (including 10 against teams occupying the top-eight seeds in the Eastern Conference) to overcome a two-game deficit for a crack at the play-in tournament, the smartest money isn’t on the Bulls crossing that plane.
HOLD — Bulls Running Short On Time In Play-In Tourney Chase
Denzel Valentine has never been one who needs a reason to play hero.
So the fact that he’d already sank three triples was more than enough gas for him to launch his fourth toward the rim from thirty feet away with just under a minute to play and the Bulls down five points to Miami Saturday.
But once his shot fell well short of its target it was clear the Hyde-like element to his confidence had reared its ugly head again.
Valentine had scored all nine of his points while collecting a pair of steals and blocks in the fourth quarter to help the Bulls turn a double-digit deficit into a one possession game at one point. His air ball and subsequent foul on Duncan Robinson’s made layup attempt, though, cut the legs out from under the rally.
The 106-101 loss to the Heat completed last week’s win-a-game, lose-a-game sequence. With under a month left to make some headway in their quest for the franchise’s first postseason berth in four years, the Bulls (25-35) need to string together some victories.
Zach LaVine (health and safety protocols) looks to still be at least a week away from helping with that. But the Bulls can help themselves by playing with more desperation from the opening tip.
That slow starts have been one of the thorns in their side all season long doesn’t bode well for any hope for a change in trend.
SELL — Predators Take Bite Out Of Blackhawks’ Playoff Hopes
Anyone expecting Jeremy Colliton to use the last eight games of the regular season to audition more of his younger players for next year, prepare to be thrown for a loop.
Even with the chance of his team regaining its footing in the playoff chase bottoming out (thanks to two losses to Nashville last week), the Hawks head coach’s mind is set on winning in the here and now.
“We have to keep fighting,” he said after the Hawks’ 3-1 loss to the Predators Friday. “The only way to go is to put it all on the line. That’s the only option for me.”
It’s an admirable approach to go down swinging. It also jives well with a Hawks (22-21-5) squad that’s fought this far without ever being whole.
But with every one of their remaining games being against teams—Tampa Bay (1), Florida (2), Carolina (3), and Dallas (2)—ahead of them in the Central Division, the Hawks are going to need more than a few haymakers the rest of the way.
HOLD — Bad Bounces Stamp Out Fire
To say the Fire were unlucky in their 3-1 loss to Atlanta Saturday wouldn’t be completely accurate.
After all, Boris Sekulic’s cross-field pass did miraculously sneak past four United defenders on its way to help Luka Stojanovic even the score at 1 early in the second half.
The Fire just didn’t have enough of it, clanking three shots off the post and surrendering an own goal on the way to their first loss of the season.
“We put up a good fight there for quite a long time,” defender Jonathan Bornstein said after the match. “We got a little unlucky, hit the post a few times, but it’s a game of inches. We just came up a little short today. A lot of things to build on. It’s a long season.”
Through two games the Fire (0-1-1), who face NY Red Bulls (0-2-0) Saturday, are in a five-way tie for ninth-place in Eastern Conference.
HOLD — Red Stars Get On Board, Still Shut Out Win Column
Well, one out of two ain’t bad.
The Red Stars have yet to secure a victory in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, but they did find the back of the net for the first time this season in a 1-1 draw with Kansas City Wednesday.
The loss, coupled with division-leading Portland’s sizzling start, erases any hope of them making a return trip to the tournament final. But with the return of national team players Alyssa Naeher, Julie Ertz and Tierna Davidson, the Red Stars (0-1-2) are trending in a better direction than they were following their first two matches.
Tuesday’s finale against OL Reign (0-1-1) represents the Red Stars’ last tuneup before the start of the regular season May 15.
Drew Stevens is a Senior Writer for WARR Media, he lives and works in Chicago