What's the best scenario for Bulls?
A few days ago, Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt was asked about resting players at the end of the regular season, and he placed a higher priority on a high finish.
"We've got to finish in second place," Blatt said. "So we're thinking about that."
Blatt seems to be conceding first place to Atlanta, which is no cop-out. As of Thursday morning, the Hawks had a 10-game lead and 14 games left to play.
The Bulls obviously have a top priority of getting healthy for the playoffs. They're sitting in fourth place, a half-game behind Toronto for third, 2½ behind Cleveland for second and a half-game ahead of fifth-place Washington.
What's their best scenario? The second seed would be nice, because that would mean homecourt advantage in the second round, if they get that far.
By finishing third or higher, the Bulls likely would play a sub-.500 team in the first round. Then again, two of the hottest teams in the East since the all-star break are Indiana (9-4) and Boston (10-6), who could easily end up at No. 6 or 7. Be careful what you wish for.
Maybe the Bulls would be better off playing Toronto in the first round in the 4-5 matchup. The Raptors are just 5-10 since the all-star break and are 0-2 against the Bulls this season. Getting the No. 4 or 5 seed would mean a potential second-round date with Atlanta and avoiding Cleveland until the conference finals, if all goes well.
But should the Bulls worry about getting stuck in a 4-5 matchup against Washington, which pounded them in five games during last year's first round? There's plenty to consider, obviously, with 13 games left, but getting Jimmy Butler (elbow), Taj Gibson (ankle) and Derrick Rose (knee) back in the lineup is still the top priority.
"I always think everything is important," coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday at the Advocate Center. "You always try to put as many things in your favor as possible. Whatever your circumstances are, try to make the most of those. If you can get (the No. 2 seed), great. If not, you have to make do with whatever you do have."
Here's one thing that could potentially be in the Bulls' favor Friday against the Raptors. Gibson is now listed as questionable on the Bulls' official injury report. That doesn't mean he will play, but it's better than being declared out.
"We know we've got a talented group," Gibson said Thursday. "The positive thing about this is we had a lot of young guys step up and get better at the right times. It's going to be scary once everybody comes back and is at full health."
Gibson doesn't think Thibodeau would try to manipulate the first-round playoff matchup and referenced last year when Brooklyn lost four of its last five games to fall into sixth place. By losing those games, the Nets played Toronto in the first round, instead of the Bulls, and won the series.
"With us, we just push forward. Thibs, he doesn't believe any of that," Gibson said. "He just believes in going for it, trying to get the highest seed possible, try to get home court and try to take care of business.
"We feel like we're ready to take on anybody in the East. It's wide open, I think. But the main thing is health."
Isn't it always with the Bulls these days?
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Bulls game day
Toronto Raptors at United Center, 7 p.m.
TV: WGN
Radio: ESPN 1000-AM
Outlook: The Raptors came back from the all-star break with a 25-point win at Atlanta but have been reeling ever since. Toronto is 4-10 since Feb. 21 but put together a two-game winning streak by beating Indiana and Minnesota this week. SG DeMar DeRozan leads the Raptors at 19.0 ppg, followed by PG Kyle Lowry at 18.1 and backup guard Lou Williams with 15.1 ppg. The Bulls are 2-0 against Toronto this season, but the teams haven't played since a 129-120 Bulls win Dec. 22 at the UC. Lowry scored 34 points that night and Derrick Rose 29.
Next: Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills, 6:30 p.m. Saturday
- Mike McGraw