What the Chicago Bulls Can Learn From the First Round of the Playoffs

As the Chicago Bulls find themselves once again on the outside looking in during playoff season, it’s clear there are significant differences between them and the playoff contenders. Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnisovas and head coach Billy Donovan have much to learn as they prepare for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Double Big vs. Small Ball Lineups

The two most commonly used five-man lineups for the Chicago Bulls feature three guards: Josh Giddey, Coby White, Zach LaVine, or Kevin Huerter. In the playoffs, the Minnesota Timberwolves exploited the Los Angeles Lakers with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert attacking the interior. Similarly, the Houston Rockets utilized both Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams together, pushing the Golden State Warriors to a Game 7. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder also have the option to play both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein simultaneously, or to adopt a small-ball approach with defensively focused guards like Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort. If the Chicago Bulls wish to participate in true postseason games, they must adjust their roster to withstand the physicality of multiple centers and power forwards from opposing teams.

Tempo (PACE)

League personnel have praised Chicago’s revitalized up-tempo offense. Former Nuggets head coach Michael Malone even referred to them as potentially the best running team in the NBA. The Bulls finished the season ranked second in the league for PACE, with a rating of 103.61. 

The only first-round series that came close to matching this rating was between Memphis and Oklahoma, which recorded a PACE of 102.63. Fortunately for the Bulls, championship contenders such as the Cavaliers, Nuggets, and Thunder also finished the regular season in the top ten for PACE. However, this does not diminish the Bulls’ urgent need to improve their half-court production.

Defense

Lastly, the front office must urgently address the team's defensive issues. The Chicago Bulls ended the season with a defensive rating of 114.8, placing them 19th in the league. Seven of the eight teams that advanced to the second round had a defensive rating of 111.5 or better in their first-round series. 

If Josh Giddey is to be a long-term part of the franchise, the Bulls need to surround him with effective rim protectors and point-of-attack defenders.