Chicago Bulls Headed for Post Season? Yes

Don't look now, but on February 8th, 2008, the Chicago Bulls were tied for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.

In a season that has seen this team lose a coach, suspend its first round draft pick, and consider trading its entire roster for the services of Kobe Bryant, the Chicago Bulls have managed to relatively pull themselves together.

At 20-29, the Bulls are a playoff eligible team. The team they are tied with for eighth place in the East is the New Jersey Nets. The Nets have been playing .200 basketball over their last 10 games and their average point-differential margin is -6.1. The Bulls are playing .400 basketball over their last 10 games and their average point-differential margin is only -2.6. So we are talking about two entirely different teams here, headed in entirely different directions.

Not to mention, Chicago is more talented than New Jersey. Just as they are more talented than the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Bobcats. Those are all the teams that are within arm's length of catching the Bulls for that 8^th spot.

Just think about it. They have a roster with Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Andres Nocioni, Joe Smith, and Ben Wallace. You have those 5 players playing at their best, and that is one hard team to beat, just as the Miami Heat found out in last year's playoffs.

Ignore their struggles from earlier this season. That was a team in search of a soul. They were rebelling against an overbearing coach who refused to deviate from his philosophy, despite the fact that his roster of players gave the team loads of versatility. The team was rebelling against an organization, that loudly and publicly went after Los Angeles Lakers' star Kobe Bryant and did not seem to care who's name got mentioned in the press as possible trade bate. And they even rebelled against their own arena by going on a staggering losing-streak, as they were forced to be on the road for 9 games so that the circus could come to town.

Now that they have that whole rebelling thing out of their system, they are like a spoiled teenager who goes off to college. They are now insightful, witty, and more knowledgeable. And that has turned into much better play. Since their abysmal start of 3-10, they are 17-19, practically .500 basketball. I know that's nothing gloat over in the grand scheme of things. But in the Eastern Conference, .500 ball will land you the 6^th seed.

But let's not get over our heads, Bulls fans. Let's just wrap up that 8^th seed first, and then you all can start thinking about that magical word: "seeding."