Chicago Bulls: 4OT victory over Hawks makes a statement

The Chicago Bulls outlasted the Atlanta Hawks in a wild game Friday night, and with their efforts made a statement to the fans.

Forget what you knew about the Chicago Bulls prior to the 2019 NBA All Star Break, because these Bulls have been different. In total, they have gone 4-1 since the break and have won five out of their last six altogether. Whatever you heard about the Bulls a few weeks ago, for at least the time being, doesn’t matter.

Forget the fiasco between the players and new head coach Jim Boylen; all of the hard practices and rumored drama between player and coach. Right now, it doesn’t mean a thing. The season may have started out as an embarrassment, but at the moment, these Bulls are playing competitive basketball and proving they aren’t out to be a laughing stock anymore.

It’s tough when you’re gunning for potentially the number one pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but the players have clearly blocked out the noise as of late. Friday night, on the road against the Atlanta Hawks, was the most clear-cut example of this.

It was a back-and-forth game that resulted in a whopping four overtimes. A final score of 168-161, the Bulls finally ended it. There were plenty of dramatic moments that could have ended the game earlier than the 68 minutes it lasted. Zach LaVine dropped 47 points while Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter Jr. each had 31. The Bulls had three players in double-digit rebounds.

We won’t get into all of the nitty gritty details here.

What I want to reiterate is this: The Bulls have not given up on the season. Despite what people want to say about “the tank,” it’s not happening in Chicago. Since the trade for Porter, this team has been different. Since the All Star Break, this team has been different.

Tides are turning in Chicago.

It might not be a dramatic swing, where the Bulls are suddenly ready to compete with the Eastern Conference elite next season. But, the fact of the matter is, a team in the midst of a “tank” doesn’t lay it all on the line through four overtimes, against an equally bad team. It simply doesn’t happen.

A team gunning for the no. 1 overall draft pick would have found a way to take the loss much earlier than that.

Whatever has happened behind the scenes, whether it’s something Boylen has done or the players rallying together — it’s working. You can forget the thought of the no. 1 draft pick coming to Chicago, at least based on overall odds. These Bulls don’t look like a team ready to finish with the league’s worst record — not anymore.