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Bulls within reach of top seed

An improbable dream is within reach for the Bulls.

Their lead over Boston for first place in the Eastern Conference was just a half-game heading into Wednesday’s action, when the Celtics hosted Memphis. In the event of a tie, Boston figures to beat the Bulls based on better conference record.

Here’s the reality: The Bulls are facing seven very winnable games leading up to the April 7 showdown against the Celtics at the United Center.

Coming up on the schedule are home games against Memphis, Philadelphia, Toronto and Phoenix. The Bulls, incidentally, have won 13 straight at the UC. The most recent loss was to Charlotte way back on Jan. 18, two days after the Bears beat Seattle in the playoffs.

On the road, the Bulls visit Milwaukee, Minnesota and Detroit — three teams who all have winning percentages under .415. The day after playing Boston, the Bulls travel to 13-55 Cleveland.

Considering the Celtics still have road games remaining in Indiana, San Antonio, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami, it seems obvious to say the Bulls have a schedule advantage.

Since the Bulls won the season series against Miami, they’d have to lose four of their final 12 games to fall behind the Heat, although a three-way tie between the Bulls, Boston and Miami would complicate things.

The Bulls (51-19) earned a day off Wednesday by pounding Atlanta 114-81 and Sacramento 132-92 the previous two nights.

Following the demolition of the Hawks, who trailed by 47 points with 7:45 remaining, coach Tom Thibodeau and Derrick Rose promised to take nothing for granted.

“They shot too high of a percentage,” Thibodeau said of the Hawks. “Defensively, there are a lot of things we can clean up. But I like the fact that we got the big lead and I thought we played tough with the lead.”

Added Rose, who produced 30 points and 10 assists in Atlanta: “To win games, to win a championship, it takes defense. We’re just trying to stay together on defense, knowing that we can’t take any steps back right now.”

Clinching the No. 1 seed would appear to bring huge benefit to the Bulls for two reasons.

Ÿ For one, they’d get a much easier matchup in the first round of the playoffs.

Indiana (31-40) is trying to fight off Milwaukee and Charlotte for the No. 8 seed. Whichever team finishes second figures to draw New York or Philadelphia. The Knicks will be dangerous with Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups. The 76ers were once 10 games under .500, but improved to 36-34 as of Wednesday morning.

Another benefit would be the idea of Boston and Miami playing each other in the second round of the playoffs. Whether the Bulls would have an easier time with, say, Orlando and Dwight Howard remains to be seen. But the Magic did make major changes during the season.

Then again, the top seed in the East has failed to reach the Finals in seven of the past eight seasons.

Thibodeau isn’t about to start looking ahead. After the game in Atlanta, he continued to insist the Bulls have room to improve.

“We want to be a 48-minute team,” he told reporters. “(The Hawks) outscored us in the fourth 21-16, so there are things we can correct and improve, but we’ve got to keep the big picture in mind. I think the good teams in this league continue to get better as they go along, and at the end you want to be playing your best ball and you have to be healthy.”

Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau directs his team during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Monday, March 21, 2011, in Chicago. The Bulls won 132-92. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Associated Press