The Chicago Bulls are off to an electric start this NBA season, fueled by relentless pace, timely shot-making, and composure in the clutch. They’re not overpowering opponents with half-court brilliance — they’re outworking them, running them off the floor, and capitalizing on every extra possession.
What’s made this Bulls team so tough early on is their commitment to pushing tempo. They’re thriving in transition, knocking down threes at a high clip, and playing with the kind of collective energy that’s hard to match when they’re locked in. But that style also comes with an inherent challenge: it demands a ton of effort.
When Chicago’s energy dips — like it did in the first half against the Sixers, or earlier this season versus the Knicks — the cracks start to show. They’re not an elite half-court team yet. When their legs go or their defensive focus slips, they lose the sharpness that makes them special. Still, when they’re flying around and running with purpose, few teams in the league can keep up.
The real test will come once teams start to adjust. Opponents will scout their transition tendencies, their shooting will cool off, and the game will force Chicago to rely more on half-court execution. That’s when we’ll learn who these Bulls really are.
Can the Bulls win the East?
It’s still early, but this stretch has been fascinating from a betting perspective. Chicago’s pace-and-effort identity gives them volatility — but they may be the kind of team that can reel off surprising wins and outperform expectations.
And for what it’s worth, over on Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook, the Bulls sit at +3000 to win the Eastern Conference — 10th-best odds overall. That caught my attention. They’re certainly not a lock to finish atop the conference, but for a group playing this hard, that’s a pretty intriguing value.
A Tale of Two Halves: Sixers Run Out of Gas
On the other side, I actually came away impressed with Philadelphia — at least early on. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey dominated the first half. But in the second half, they simply ran out of steam.
The numbers tell the story: Maxey and Embiid took 26 of the team’s second-half shots, while the rest of the Sixers combined for just 19. Compare that to the first half, when those two took 21 and the supporting cast took 28 — that’s the balance they need. Down the stretch, though, the offense devolved into isolation ball. Both stars went cold, no one else found a rhythm, and by the fourth quarter, the fatigue was obvious.
Even Quintin Grimes’ wide-open look in the final moments — his only attempt of the stretch — spoke volumes about how static their offense had become. Philly put up 75 in the first half, but just 36 in the second. It wasn’t just about missed shots; it was about predictability. Too much one-on-one, not enough drive-and-kick flow that had made them dangerous earlier in the season.
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