Chicago Bulls

46-36, lost in conference first-round series

Overview: The Bulls made the playoffs for the first time in five years last season and led the Eastern Conference for a little bit. They have the high-scoring duo of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine and believe they have the talent to compete, even though the Bulls stood pat while the teams around them loaded up. Still, they’re a bit of an unknown — even to themselves. “I think we need time to see this group play together longer to have any type of conclusion,” executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said. Though the Bulls ended a string of four consecutive losing seasons in reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2017, a long line of injuries caught up to them down the stretch. Chicago finished sixth in the Eastern Conference at 46-36 and got knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by Milwaukee. This season, Chicago is banking on better health and developing more chemistry and cohesion. They are down one key player: Point guard Lonzo Ball will miss at least part of the early season because he needed left knee surgery for a second time this year. Quote: “Man, it could be very, very exciting and scary for other people at the same time,” DeRozan said of LaVine. “I can’t tell you how many times I talked to him this summer, just checking on him, just getting that leg back together. I want to be with a healthy Zach. I want him healthy as well.”