It doesn't take much to shoot up the Eastern Conference standings this season. Which is why the Chicago Bulls' recent three-game winning streak has them within one game of the No. 3 seed.
Just over a month ago, the Bulls were reeling. They were six games under .500 at 12-18 and the sting of losing Derrick Rose to another knee injury was still fresh.
But true to the character these guys have shown under Tom Thibodeau, they came out of the rough patch swinging. Behind a renewed commitment to their defense-first approach, the Bulls are 15-7 in the new calendar year and could cause some headaches in the NBA playoffs.
Only three teams have a better record than the Bulls since Jan. 1—all three are in the West. In its own conference, Chicago is tied with the Indiana Pacers in 2014 and is ahead of the No. 2- and 3-seeded Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors.
So, what's been the difference? And can it continue into the home stretch and postseason?
Over the Bulls' first 30 games, they were fifth in the league in defensive rating, giving up 98.4 points per 100 possessions. For perspective, the Pacers were firs ...
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Article written by Andy Bailey
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