In case you didn't know...
W L PCT GB
1 x-Miami 56 19 .747 -
2 Detroit 47 27 .635 8 ½
3 Boston 41 34 .547 15
4 Chicago 42 32 .568 13 ½
5 Washington 41 33 .554 14 ½
6 Indiana 40 34 .541 15 ½
7 Cleveland 38 36 .514 17 ½
8 Philadelphia 37 37 .500 18 ½
New Jersey 37 39 .487 19 ½
Orlando 35 40 .467 21
If the season ended today, the Bulls would have a home court date against the Washington Wizards. It doesn't end today though (and probably a good thing given the injuries), so lets have a look at the remaining schedules. I'll include the Pacers, but exclude Boston since no matter how poorly the Atlantic Division winner finishes they will have the 3 seed. Dumb? perhaps. but that's the way it is.
Remaining schedules:
| Bulls | Wizards | Pacers |
| -- | 1GB | 2GB |
| @NY | @IND | WAS |
| TOR | PHI | NY |
| DET | MIL | @TOR |
| @WAS | CHI | NJ |
| ORL | CLE | PHI |
| @ATL | CHA | @MIA |
| NY | @NJ | @ORL |
| @IND | @NY | CHI |
Very interesting, as all 3 play eachother in the final weeks. Also very even in terms of winnable games and tough games. Washington has perhaps the easiest schedule, void of a Detroit or a Miami like the Bulls and Pacers have to play. The Bulls have the most road games(4) of the three.
(1) Head-to-head:
Bulls v. Wizards: 1-1
Bulls v. Pacers: 2-1
Wizards v. Pacers: 2-1
(2) Conference Record:
Bulls: 27-17
Wizards: 24-20
Pacers: 25-19
(3) Division Record:
Bulls: 8-6
Wizards: 9-6
Pacers: 8-7
The Bulls look pretty good here, but definitely would benefit from a win over both the Wiz and Pacers. Both are on the road.
So 3 teams, each fighting injuries down the stretch to see who gets a 4, 5, or a 6 seed. Some might say that a 6 seed would in fact be the best of all, since they face the Atlantic Division winner and also avoid the Heat in the second round. But another side of me says I really want to see game one of the playoffs at the United Center. A win at NY followed by a gimmee at home against the Raptors, and hopefully Eddy Curry will be back by then to lock up the #4 seed and home court advantage.