**Good:** The Chicago Bulls are 9–8 against teams with records of .500 or better.
**Bad:** They are 8–10 against teams below .500.
**Weird:** Chicago is the only team in the league that has been better against winning teams than losing ones.
The Bulls struggle against bad teams
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If the glaring statistic above doesn’t convince you, the Bulls are a weird team. A recent two-game sample proves the point. Chicago beat the 20–16 Orlando Magic 121–114 without Coby White or Josh Giddey, then lost 112–99 to the 12–23 Charlotte Hornets, who were missing their top three centers.
The peculiarity of the Bulls doesn’t stop there. There are plenty of other examples, including the fact that Chicago still doesn’t seem to have a clear short- or long-term plan. Are they competing for a postseason spot? Evaluating which players are long-term keepers? What identity is this team even trying to build? None of those questions has a clear answer.
What we do know is that Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas has consistently preached competitive integrity. He has praised the Bulls for winning otherwise meaningless games rather [than fully embracing a rebuild](https://pippenainteasy.com/bulls-left-with-only-one-way-out-their-grave-dilemma). That approach suggests Chicago is still trying to win. And if that’s the case, the unusual statistic from the beginning of this article might actually be the Bulls’ saving grace.
Chicago has the fourth-toughest remaining schedule
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Beating good teams is impressive and builds confidence for a potential playoff run. But if you can’t beat bad teams, a postseason berth becomes irrelevant in the first place. Still, there is a potential silver lining. Chicago owns the fourth-most difficult remaining schedule in the NBA.
That’s right. The Bulls’ remaining strength of schedule is .515, easier only than the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Phoenix Suns—all teams in the Western Conference gauntlet. In fact, Chicago is one of only two Eastern Conference teams with a top-10 hardest remaining schedule, alongside the Milwaukee Bucks (.509).
Unlike the Bucks, who are just 5–13 against teams above .500, the Bulls should be encouraged by their tough remaining schedule. Chicago still faces the Thunder, Pistons, Rockets, and Knicks twice each. While that slate might intimidate most teams, it could benefit Chicago, a squad that consistently rises or falls to the level of its competition.
A look at the Bulls’ upcoming schedule suggests March will be a tell-all. January and February are relatively manageable, filled mostly with Eastern Conference opponents. But a West Coast road trip in March could make or break their playoff hopes. If Chicago’s knack for beating good teams holds, their postseason aspirations might not be a pipe dream—provided they take care of the winnable games before the schedule turns brutal.