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Poll: Who Will Win Wednesday’s Play-In Games?

April 17th, 2024 at 7:11am CST by Luke Adams

When we polled Hoops Rumors readers on Tuesday’s play-in games 24 hours ago, nearly half the respondents predicted victories for both the Lakers and Warriors, with roughly 36.7% forecasting a Pelicans win and only about 13.9% picking both the Lakers and Kings.

But that latter scenario is the one that played out, as the Lakers escaped New Orleans with a narrow victory to secure the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed, while the Kings got some level of revenge for last year’s first-round playoff exit by dispatching Golden State in the No. 9 vs. 10 game.

The Pelicans will now host the Kings in Friday’s do-or-die play-in game for the West’s No. 8 seed, but in the meantime, we have a pair of Eastern Conference play-in games on tap for Wednesday night.

In the early game, the No. 8 Heat will visit Philadelphia and battle the No. 7 Sixers for the right to claim the seventh seed and a first-round matchup with New York.

The stakes are high — while either team would be a significant favorite at home in a play-in game on Friday, losing tonight would result in a best-case scenario of a first-round date with the Celtics, who had the NBA’s best record for nearly the entire season. The Sixers and Heat would presumably rather take their chances with the Knicks.

Both teams have some injuries to deal with entering Wednesday’s game. The 76ers will be missing De’Anthony Melton (back) and Robert Covington (knee), while the Heat will be without Josh Richardson (shoulder) and Terry Rozier (neck).

Sixers center Joel Embiid is listed on the injury report as questionable due to left knee injury recovery, but there’s no doubt he’ll suit up — whether or not he’ll be anywhere near 100% is an open question. Embiid has only played five games since returning from knee surgery, and while he scored at least 30 points in three of those outings, his knee seemed to be bothering him on Friday, forcing him to sit out Sunday’s regular season finale.

If Embiid looks like himself, it bodes well for the Sixers, who have a +10.3 net rating in the big man’s 1,309 minutes on the court this season and went 31-8 in the games he played.

On the other hand, the Heat showed last spring that they’re extremely comfortable playing as a lower seed on the road with their backs against the wall, though it’s worth noting that the Miami team that made it to the NBA Finals did lose its first play-in game. The Heat, whose 24-17 road record this season ranked second among Eastern teams, are currently listed as five-point underdogs, per BetOnline.ag.

In the late game, the No. 9 Bulls are three-point favorites at home against the No. 10 Hawks. It has been an up-and-down season for both teams, who haven’t given us much reason to believe that a deep playoff run is in the cards.

The Bulls had the NBA’s 19th-best offensive rating and 22nd-best defensive rating this season for an overall net rating of -1.7 (20th). They also have a lengthy injury report. Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, Patrick Williams, and Onuralp Bitim are out due to season-ending injuries, while Julian Phillips (right midfoot sprain) remains unavailable and Andre Drummond (left ankle sprain) and Ayo Dosunmu (right quad contusion) are considered questionable to suit up.

Still, Chicago will have DeMar DeRozan, Coby White, and Nikola Vucevic available to provide offensive firepower, while defensive ace Alex Caruso attempts to slow down Atlanta’s star backcourt.

Like Embiid in Philadelphia, Hawks leading scorer Trae Young only recently returned from a lengthy injury absence, appearing in the team’s final three regular season games after missing the previous 23 due to hand surgery. If he’s not in peak form, more offensive responsibilities will fall to fellow guards Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic.

The Hawks had the NBA’s 12th-best offense this season but ranked just 27th on defense and finished behind the Bulls in overall net rating, with a -2.0 mark (No. 21). They also have some key injury absences of their own, with Jalen Johnson (right ankle sprain), Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe sprain), and Saddiq Bey (torn ACL) all sidelined.

Given that the two teams look relatively evenly matched, it’s possible home-court advantage could be the difference for the Bulls. The Hawks went just 15-26 on the road this season.

We want to know what you think. Will it be the Sixers or Heat clinching their playoff berth today? Will it be the end of the road for the Bulls or the Hawks?

Make your Eastern Conference play-in picks in the poll below, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!

Bulls’ Onuralp Bitim Has Detached Retina, Out For Postseason

April 16th, 2024 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Onuralp Bitim‘s rookie season is over, according to the Bulls, who announced today in a press release that the Turkish wing will be unavailable for the rest of the postseason.

Bitim has been diagnosed with a detached retina in his right eye and will require season-ending surgery to address the injury, per the team.

Bitim just completed his first NBA season after playing professionally for several years in Turkey. He made the All-EuroCup Second Team for Bursaspor last season, averaging 18.1 points and 3.2 assists in 18 EuroCup contests, before agreeing to come stateside to join the Bulls.

The 25-year-old began the season on a two-way contract but was promoted to Chicago’s standard roster in February and began to see some action at the NBA level around that time.

After making his NBA debut on February 22, Bitim ultimately appeared in 22 total games for Chicago, averaging 3.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .381/.273/.800.

While he had a few impressive games in the second half, Bitim likely wouldn’t have seen much – if any – action for the Bulls in the postseason. Of course, Chicago’s postseason run may not extend beyond Wednesday, since the team faces a win-or-go-home play-in game vs. the Hawks.

Bitim’s contract features non-guaranteed minimum salaries for the next two seasons beyond this one, so Chicago will have the option of bringing him back at a team-friendly rate.

DeRozan Tops League In Minutes; Dosunmu, Drummond Uncertain For Play-In

April 15th, 2024 at 11:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Thirty-four-year-old DeMar DeRozan finished the season as the NBA’s leader in minutes, per Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The Bulls swingman was on the court for 2,988 minutes, his highest total in a decade, as he became the first player over age 30 to league the league in that category since LeBron James did it six years ago. “And he doesn’t miss practice. He doesn’t miss shootaround,” Coby White said of DeRozan. “He’s early to everything. Those are the things I notice. He’s always on time. He’s always one of the first ones there. You know how some guys can be. And for him, it’s just his professionalism day in and day out never changes.”
The Bulls have some injury concerns heading into Wednesday’s play-in game, notes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Ayo Dosunmu has a bruised quad and Andre Drummond is dealing with a sprained left ankle, and neither is certain to play against Atlanta. ‘‘Ayo is having issues with the running and the starting and the sprinting and the stopping,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘There’s been some discomfort there for him. He has to get over that hurdle. I think there is hope he can clear those hurdles.’’

Donovan: Not Built For Deep Playoff Run

April 14th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hawks, who will face the Bulls in the play-in tournament on Tuesday, could have promoted two-way player Vit Krejci to a standard contract and made him eligible for the postseason. They chose not to do so, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Lauren Williams reports.

As for the Bulls, coach Billy Donovan admits the season didn’t play out the way the organization hoped, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago relays. The Bulls finished with an offensive rating of 114, which ranked 20th, Johnson notes, while their top-five defense from last season dropped to No. 22, having allowed 115.7 points per 100 possessions. “Organizationally, is this where we want to be going forward? No, we want to be in a situation where you’re making deep playoff runs. We’re not that right now,” Donovan said. “But I give our guys a lot of credit for fighting and competing and giving ourselves an opportunity to advance.”
The combination of Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby has been dazzling, Zach Braziller of the New York Post notes. The Knicks are 19-2 when both have played. Entering Sunday’s game, an overtime win over the Bulls, the team had a net rating of +24.7 and an offensive rating of 125.8 spanning 599 minutes when the duo shared the court. Brunson poured in 40 points on Sunday while Anunoby added 11. They also combined for 11 assists and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who enter the postseason as a No. 2 seed.

Eastern Conference’s Top Six, Play-In Tournament Set For 2024

April 14th, 2024 at 3:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

It came down to a blown DeMar DeRozan overtime buzzer beater attempt, but the Knicks finally clinched the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed by winning a nationally broadcast ESPN clash against the Bulls this afternoon.

Earlier in the day, several other East playoff and play-in clubs wrapped up their 2023/24 regular seasons, thus cementing the conference’s top 10 heading into the postseason. Six teams won between 47 and 50 games, with three clubs sporting identical 47-35 records.

Obviously the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds will be determined by the play-in tournament, which will tip off mid-week. That will thus dictate the 1-8 and 2-7 matchups of the first round.

Here is the finalized order of the Eastern Conference’s top 10 for the 2024 postseason:

Boston Celtics (64-18)
New York Knicks (50-32)
Milwaukee Bucks (49-33)
Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34)
Orlando Magic (47-35)
Indiana Pacers (47-35)
Philadelphia 76ers (47-35)
Miami Heat (46-36)
Chicago Bulls (39-43)
Atlanta Hawks (36-46)

Two matchups are now locked in, while two are yet to be determined.

The No. 3 Bucks will square off against the No. 6 Pacers. Indiana owns a 4-1 season record against Milwaukee (they faced off during the semifinals of this year’s inaugural in-season tournament). Milwaukee’s two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out the team’s final three games of the regular season due to a left calf strain, and his status for the beginning of the playoffs is unclear.

The No. 4 Cavaliers will play the No. 5 Orlando Magic. Those two teams have split their season series, 2-2.

Per the NBA, here is the breakdown of this year’s Eastern Conference play-in tournament schedule, slated to start this Wednesday, April 17 via ESPN:

No. 7 Philadelphia will host No. 8 Miami at 6 p.m. CT. The victor will advance as the No. 7 seed to play the Knicks, who will be without All-Star power forward Julius Randle for the duration of the playoffs.
No. 9 Chicago will host No. 10 Atlanta at 8:30 p.m. CT. The winner will advance to play whichever team loses the 7-8 matchup.
The loser of the Sixers/Heat matchup will host the winner of Bulls/Hawks on Friday, April 19. That contest’s winner will move on to play the Celtics as the East’s No. 8 seed.

The first round of the playoffs will officially tip off on Saturday, April 20.

Carter Stays Professional Amid Difficult Season

April 14th, 2024 at 9:34am CST by Rory Maher

While Jevon Carter‘s first NBA season in his hometown hasn’t gone the way he envisioned when he signed with the Bulls in free agency, he has been a positive voice in the locker room and has stayed professional even when he hasn’t been part of the rotation, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I’ve been here before,” Carter said. “This is my sixth year in the league. Every year, I’ve had to prove myself. But I never lose that confidence. I work too hard.”

Central Notes: Mitchell, Sanogo, Bulls, Sasser, Green

April 13th, 2024 at 8:22am CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is looking like he’s regained his All-Star form over the past two games after a rough combination of injuries and off-nights following Valentine’s Day, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon writes. Mitchell appeared in just nine games since the mid-point of February and averaged 16.9 points per contest on 37.8% shooting, well below his season averages of 26.6 PPG and 46.2%.

His return to form began on Wednesday against the Grizzlies when Mitchell shot 52.9% from the field (9-of-17), his highest mark since Feb. 27. According to Vardon, Mitchell’s knee injury sapped him of the ability to get by defenders and get to the rim since mid-February, but he moved around much better against Memphis and he was more vocal and animated than he had been in recent weeks. For what it’s worth, coach J.B. Bickerstaff expects Mitchell to fully get back into form before the postseason begins.

“To me, there is no doubt that he’ll get there,” Bickerstaff said. “We’ve got three games in almost 14 days, so he has an opportunity to do some really good work on his body, on the court. We know who Donovan is and what he is capable of.”

Mitchell followed his game against Memphis with a 33-point outing against the Pacers that saw him record five assists and four steals, the latter of which matched his season-best mark. As a result of the win, Cleveland clinched a playoff berth and a top-four seed. During the nine games Mitchell struggled, the Cavs went 4-5. In the two wins this week, Mitchell scored a combined 62 points, three m0re than he had in his previous four games combined.

“The biggest thing for me is just to continue to build my confidence back up in my body,” Mitchell said after Wednesday’s game. “The biggest cure for this is rest. I don’t have time for that. … I consider myself a pretty mentally strong person, so just being able to find ways to adapt to the situation. I felt really good tonight, and just continue to build on that.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bulls clinched home-court advantage in next week’s play-in game against the Hawks, and coach Billy Donovan said he’d consult with the players and medical staff for their final two regular-season games, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Much of the Bulls’ rotation went on to not play on Friday against the Wizards as they manage injuries. As a result, several of Chicago’s end-of-roster pieces got extended playing time. Two-way center Adama Sanogo became just the second rookie this season to post a 20-point, 20-rebound game, joining Victor Wembanyama. “I don’t think I got here by chance,” Sanogo said, per The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry (Twitter link). “I got here because these guys believe in me. These guys think I can have a chance. I’ve got to show that, too, that I can do this.” Other role players like Javonte Green (24 points), Jevon Carter (12 assists) and Henri Drell (23 minutes, career-nine points) also had big nights.
The Bulls started the season at 5-14 but have since gone 33-28 despite injuries to Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams, prompting Donovan to acknowledge how far the team has come, Johnson writes in the same NBC Sports Chicago story. “I’m happy for these guys,” Donovan said. “I think sometimes when you just look in the moment of where you’re at, sometimes you don’t get a chance to look at where you started. I’ve said before: It was a rough start for us. And I really appreciate the guys in that locker room sticking together, fighting, not quitting, not making excuses or pointing fingers and trying to rally and pull together and play better.“
Rookie guard Marcus Sasser has been a bright spot in a nightmarish Pistons season that has resulted in the franchise’s worst win percentage of all time. Sasser has appeared in 70 games, starting 10, and averaged 8.1 points and 3.3 assists while making 37.3% of his three-point shots. The Houston product reflected on his rookie year, saying he wants to get mentally stronger for next season, per The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III (Twitter link). “It’s definitely a big jump, but that’s what makes this job fun,” Sasser said. “It’s not for everybody“
Bucks guard A.J. Green departed Wednesday’s game against the Magic in the second quarter with a left ankle injury. The Bucks announced that he underwent an MRI on Thursday which revealed a left ankle sprain; he was ruled out for at least the team’s final two regular season games (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Eric Nehm). Green has averaged 4.5 points in 11.0 minutes per night while shooting 40.8% from three.

Bulls Notes: Self-Induced Errors, Drummond, Dosunmu, More

April 11th, 2024 at 10:58pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Bulls lost to the Knicks on Tuesday in disappointing fashion, making a series of self-induced errors, including Torrey Craig attempting to throw an alley-oop to himself before getting knocked down by teammate Andre Drummond, who thought the pass off the backboard was intended for him. The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry sees that play as a microcosm of Chicago’s season: style over substance.

“To me, it was just really disappointing,” coach Billy Donovan said. “You’re down by (nine points). There were a lot of self-induced things that I thought we contributed to. Not only that play but other plays that weren’t as loud as that. But that play was disappointing to me.”

The Bulls are locked into the play-in tournament but clinched home-court advantage in the No. 9 vs. 10 game against the Hawks by defeating the Pistons on Thursday.

We have more on the Bulls:

Drummond left Tuesday’s game with a badly turned left ankle. According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Drummond had to be taken to the training room in a wheelchair and Donovan said his ankle was very swollen. On Thursday, Donovan said Drummond is using a motorized scooter because of weight-bearing issues regarding the swelling in his ankle, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets.
Ayo Dosunmu missed Tuesday’s game with an injured quad, Cowley adds in the same piece. “I don’t know how long it will or will not be because I think he felt OK after the game [Sunday] in Orlando,” Donovan said. “I think after he felt a little better, it just hasn’t progressed.” According to Johnson, Dosunmu’s deep thigh contusion is giving him issues with being able to contract his quad muscle.
In case you missed it, Kentucky is reportedly finalizing a deal to hire Mark Pope of BYU as their next head coach. But if there were any doubts, Donovan reaffirmed his commitment to the Bulls on Tuesday and shot down any rumors of him potentially leaving for the college ranks, ESPN’s Jamal Collier writes.
With the Bulls headed for the play-in and potentially out of the playoffs in the coming weeks, Cowley opines that general manager Arturas Karnisovas and the Bulls should change their philosophy when it comes to this roster. Cowley believes this version of the team has reached its peak and the front office should consider trading some of its star players and entering a rebuild.

Stein’s Latest: Bickerstaff, Mitchell, Kidd, Stone, Donovan

April 11th, 2024 at 8:51pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Pressure is mounting on the Cavaliers, who have stumbled to an 11-16 record after the All-Star break after once sitting at 36-17, NBA insider Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack post. While an 18-2 record spanning through December and January improved coach J.B. Bickerstaff‘s standing within the organization, he may be on the hot seat following this disappointing stretch of games.

As Stein writes, Bickerstaff is still dealing with the fallout from losing to the Knicks in the first round of last year’s playoffs in just five games. Frustration is growing in Cleveland after last season’s playoffs and this season’s lackluster recent stretch, according to Stein.

The Cavaliers as a whole are feeling pressure, given the need to sign Donovan Mitchell to a contract extension this offseason. Mitchell is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract next year if there’s no extension and there’s a “growing belief” from rival teams that the Cavs might be forced to trade their superstar if the two sides can’t agree to an extension, Stein writes.

The Cavaliers paid a hefty price to bring in Mitchell in 2022, sending out Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton and multiple first-round picks for the All-Star guard.

We have more from Stein:

The Mavericks are 16-2 since they inserted Daniel Gafford and Derrick Jones Jr. into the starting lineup, and have officially secured their second 50-win season since Jason Kidd took over as head coach in 2021. An offseason extension for Kidd seems likely, according to Stein.
Likewise, the Rockets‘ strong play in the second half of their season means general manager Rafael Stone may also earn a contract extension, Stein writes. The Rockets are hovering around the .500 mark after winning just 22 games last season. The Ime Udoka hiring and the additions of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks are among the reasons for Houston’s impressive season, which were all accomplished without sacrificing any of its core pieces. Still, future decisions regarding whether the team will continue to build around Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green or trade for a higher-profile star are percolating, per Stein.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan‘s name was thrown around in regard to the newly opened Kentucky coaching job, but Stein expressed skepticism about the chances of him moving back down to the college ranks, where he most notably coached at Florida from 1996-2015. It looks like Stein’s skepticism was warranted, as Kentucky is reportedly targeting BYU’s Mark Pope to be its next head coach, meaning Donovan will stay with the Bulls, tweets NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson.

DeMar DeRozan Reiterates Desire To Stay With Bulls

April 11th, 2024 at 3:24pm CST by Rory Maher

Forward DeMar DeRozan, who is eligible for a veteran extension until June 30 before hitting unrestricted free agency, told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago that he wants to sign an extension to remain with the Bulls.

“This is where I want to be,” DeRozan said. “ … I love ownership. I love everything about the city and the franchise, top to bottom—the front office, the staff we have. It’s one of those places that gives me motivation to see everybody get what they deserve and feel what winning is like again.”

DeRozan has stated multiple times throughout the season he wants to stay with Chicago, and the interest is reportedly mutual. But an agreement on a new deal has yet to be reached, leaving his future in doubt.

As Johnson writes, DeRozan has outplayed the three-year, $81.9MM contract he signed a few years ago when the Bulls acquired him in a sign-and-trade with the Spurs. The 34-year-old has averaged 25.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.1 APG and 1.0 SPG on .496/.331/.867 over the past three seasons, earning two All-Star nods and providing clutch shot-making while being very durable — he leads the league in total minutes and minutes per game (37.8) in 2023/24.

The Bulls have not found much team success over the past few years, however, particularly since January 2022, when Lonzo Ball‘s career was derailed by a series of knee surgeries. After being eliminated in a first-round playoff series with Milwaukee in 2022, Chicago lost to Miami in the play-in tournament last year, and is locked into another play-in berth in ’24. Injuries were a factor again this season, with Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams sidelined with season-ending foot surgeries.

DeRozan told Johnson he wants to help the Bulls find the success they had in the first portion of the ’21/22 season, when they were 27-13 before Ball was injured.

“The feeling, the vibe, the energy that was around when we had that run, I want the city and all these players to experience that again — and for myself too,” DeRozan said as part of a larger quote. “It’s always easy to complain and say what’s not. But I made it clear this is where I want to be. … I don’t want to go nowhere.

“They know it. Everybody knows my stance. I lay it down from this perspective: I want to come back. Everybody else figure out what you need to figure out. And that’s just how I look at it so I don’t stress or worry about what’s what. I made it clear this is where I want to be. The powers that be just need to figure out what needs to happen. Everybody knows my mindset.”