“Miami Heat: The Chicago Bulls’ Playoff Curse?”

For the third consecutive year, the Chicago Bulls have seen their NBA Play-In Tournament campaign come to an end in the most disheartening way possible, losing to the Miami Heat. It’s almost enough to make one wonder: is there a karmic relationship between these two teams?

This wasn’t supposed to be a repeat performance. With DeMar DeRozan no longer in the picture, and Alex Caruso moving on in exchange for Josh Giddey, Chicago’s roster was turned on its head. Bringing in new faces like Matas Buzelis suggested a fresh start, a new era of up-tempo play and three-point shooting. Yet, at the final whistle, the refrain was eerily familiar—Miami Heat had once again extinguished the Bulls’ fire.

A stunning series of post seasons, making it the third franchise’s history without a playoff series victory since 2015. Is it time for the Bulls to consider a complete overhaul, or can their front office concoct something out of this latest reality check? Here’s a thought-provoking question: Can the Chicago Bulls break this cycle, or are they doomed to keep running into Miami’s metaphorical wall?

Amidst mild hype from previous weeks, there’s a sense that the Bulls are still searching for something, or perhaps many things. Perhaps it’s time to inject a serious dose of talent if they hope to ever be considered true playoff contenders again.

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For the third year in a row, the Chicago Bulls have seen their season end in the NBA Play-In Tournament on a loss to the Miami Heat.

The Chicago Bulls underwent some drastic changes this year. DeMar DeRozan wasn’t retained, Alex Caruso was traded for Josh Giddey, and Zach LaVine was traded to the Sacramento Kings.

Chicago’s starting lineup for Wednesday night’s play-in game featured Josh Giddey, Kevin Huerter and Matas Buzelis, all newcomers. The offensive style was completely changed, with the Bulls playing up-tempo and shooting a lot of 3s. The Bulls needed this season to be different.

And yet, at the end, it felt very similar to year’s past.

It was another year in the play-in tournament and another year that ended at the hands of the Miami Heat.

This was the third straight season the Bulls lost to the Heat in the postseason, making it only the third time since 2010 that a team lost in the postseason three straight years to the same team and the first time that didn’t include LeBron James. The Indiana Pacers lost to the Miami Heat in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and the Toronto Raptors lost to the Cavaliers in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

In 2022, Max Strus saved the Heat, hitting seven 3-pointers and scoring 31 points as the Heat beat the Bulls 102-91.

Last season, the game wasn’t nearly as competitive. Miami blew out Chicago 112-91. Tyler Herro led the way with 24 points.

Those 24 points were just an appetizer for the play-in this year. Herro had 38 points on 13-of-19 shooting. For the second straight year, Chicago didn’t have a perimeter defender that had a chance of guarding him.

Maybe this was the best thing for the Bulls. Chicago went on a nice run at the end of the season, but a reality check against the Heat should make Chicago’s front office realize the team is still a long way from any type of real contention.

The Bulls have gone 11 straight years without a playoffs series victory, the longest drought in the history of the franchise. The last time Chicago won a postseason series was 2015 against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was Giannis Antetoukounmpo’s second year in the league, and he got ejected from Game 6 for leveling Mike Dunleavy. The Bulls won that Game 6 in spectacular fashion, blowing the Bucks out 120-66.

But that feels like a lifetime ago. Pau Gasol was on that team and he’s been in the Hall of Fame for two years. Jimmy Butler was on his first of five teams. The only players left from that team still playing in the NBA are Butler, Doug McDermott and the seemingly immortal Taj Gibson.

These Bulls are a long way off from even those Bulls, much less the title-contending Bulls that preceded them. Regardless of any mild hype and media attention in recent weeks, they need a serious infusion of talent to be considered a true playoff threat again.

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