BEARS, BULLS SHARE THE HYPE

Up or down. Boom or bust. Relevant or buried in a mound of hot garbage. We’re talking about the Bears. Also, the Bulls.

It’s a mighty big week on the homefront, in part because the 5- 4 Bears, losers of three in a row, find themselves at the crossroads of win- a- football- game and don’t- call- uswe’ll- call- you. Maybe it’s where they belong. Maybe they’re lucky to be there, when you really think about it. You saw their close shaves in season- opening victories against the Lions, Giants and Falcons. It could have been a lot worse than this.

Ah, but here come the Vikings to Soldier Field on Monday. They’re 0- 4 against Matt Nagy’s Bears. They routinely have such a foul experience in our fair city — they’ve dropped 16 of their last 19 games here — it’s a wonder they haven’t found themselves floating under a Dave Matthews Band tour bus. It’s an old reference, but it almost works.

So, yeah, the Bears might win a football game. Will the Bulls get a victory Wednesday on draft night?

The Bulls own the No. 4 pick. That might leave them a notch away from Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman.

Perhaps Israel’s Deni Avdija will be their man? Or Dayton’s Obi Toppin? Or a trade instead? Big boss Arturas Karnisovas is on the clock.

All the Bulls really need is a player who will transform the franchise. Is that so much to ask for? A player who will make the ball move, make it dance, make it sing, make it — here’s the key to the whole operation, folks — go into the basket. Did we mention free agency starts rocking Friday?

Here’s what’s happening: