The 2018-19 Bulls are well-versed in the role of underdog.
The players didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, especially after the front office took the rebuild route in the 2017 offseason and traded Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, allowed Rajon Rondo to walk and bought out the rest of Dwyane Wade’s contract.
A 27-win season followed with the organization in full tank mode.
Year 2 of the reconstruction project, however, was expected to be different.
LeBron James left the Cavaliers and the Eastern Conference to join the Lakers, and the Bulls felt like they added key pieces in free agent and former Simeon star Jabari Parker and No. 7 overall pick Wendell Carter Jr.
Still, the needle outside the Advocate Center barely has budged. The Bulls are predicted to be a lottery team again by NBA pundits.
But inside the practice facility, the Bulls’ attitude is, the experts be damned.
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“We’re a hardworking team,’’ Bulls big man Bobby Portis said. “We have pieces. We haven’t played with each other a lot. But we’re playing with each other now. If we build our cohesiveness, go out and trust one another and become one, the sky is the limit for us.
“Every year, I feel they kind of write us off. That’s just the nature of the beast. It’s the good thing about being an underdog.’’
Portis and his teammates have that “sky is the limit’’ mentality, but there’s a certain reality that can’t be glossed over.
Finnish big man Lauri Markkanen is sidelined with an injured right elbow until at least late November, Parker hasn’t exactly played like a $20 million-a-year man and, frankly, there are at least eight teams in the East that have more potential than the Bulls, at least on paper.
Are the Bulls better than the 27 wins from last season? Yes.
Are they a playoff team? Not yet.
PREDICTED ORDER OF THE NBA BOTTOM
5. BULLS
4. Atlanta Hawks
3. Phoenix Suns
2. Sacramento Kings
1. New York Knicks
PREDICTED ORDER OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON
1. Boston Celtics
2. Toronto Raptors
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Washington Wizards
6. Indiana Pacers
7. Miami Heat
8. Detroit Pistons
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Celtics over Raptors in six
ALL-EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
G – Kyrie Irving — Celtics
G – John Wall — Wizards
F – Kawhi Leonard — Raptors
F – Giannis Antetokounmpo — Bucks
C – Joel Embiid — 76ers
ALL-EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
G – Ben Simmons — 76ers
G – Victor Oladipo — Pacers
F – Blake Griffin — Pistons
F – Gordon Hayward — Celtics
C – Andre Drummond — Pistons
EASTERN CONFERENCE HONORS
MVP – Kawhi Leonard — Raptors
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Kawhi Leonard — Raptors
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Kevin Knox — Knicks
COACH OF THE YEAR – Brad Stevens — Celtics
COACH ON THE HOT SEAT – Scott Brooks — Wizards
MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER – Darren Collison — Pacers
MOST OVERRATED PLAYER – Dwight Howard — Wizards
BIG-NAME TRADE CANDIDATE – Jabari Parker — BULLS
PREDICTED ORDER OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON
1. Golden State Warriors
2. Houston Rockets
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Utah Jazz
5. Denver Nuggets
6. New Orleans Pelicans
7. Portland Trail Blazers
8. Oklahoma City Thunder
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Warriors over Rockets in five
NBA FINALS
Warriors over Celtics in five
ALL-WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
G – Stephen Curry — Warriors
G – James Harden — Rockets
F – LeBron James — Lakers
F – Kevin Durant — Warriors
C – Anthony Davis — Pelicans
ALL-WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
G – Chris Paul — Rockets
G – Russell Westbrook — Thunder
F – Jimmy Butler — Timberwolves
F – DeMar DeRozan — Spurs
C – Nikola Jokic — Nuggets
WESTERN CONFERENCE HONORS
MVP – LeBron James — Lakers
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Julius Randle — Pelicans
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Luka Doncic — Mavericks
COACH OF THE YEAR – Quin Snyder — Jazz
COACH ON THE HOT SEAT – Tom Thibodeau — Timberwolves
MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER – Gary Harris — Nuggets
MOST OVERRATED PLAYER – Karl-Anthony Towns — Timberwolves
BIG-NAME TRADE CANDIDATE – Jimmy Butler — Timberwolves
