The Chicago Bulls are locked in to the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference after Friday’s 119-89 win over the Washington Wizards at the United Center.
The Bulls needed only one win in their final two regular-season games to ensure they would finish ninth or better in the East. A rout of the 17-win Wizards — led by a career-high 23-point performance from Julian Phillips — was plenty to clinch that position and earn home-court advantage for the first round of the NBA Play-In Tournament.
The Bulls will face the 10th-seeded Miami Heat on Wednesday night at the United Center. The start time has yet to be announced.
Halfway across the country, the Atlanta Hawks secured the East’s No. 8 seed with a 124-110 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hawks will play the seventh-seeded Magic in a first-round play-in game Tuesday in Orlando, Fla.
If the Bulls lose to the Heat on Friday, they would be eliminated from the postseason. If they win, they will advance to play the Hawks-Magic loser April 18 on the road. The winner of that game would earn the No. 8 seed in the East playoffs and a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
This is the second consecutive year that the Bulls have finished as the No. 9 seed — and their third straight trip to the play-in tournament. Both of their prior play-in tournaments ended with road losses to the Heat.
The Chicago Bulls clinched the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference and will host the Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA Play-In Tournament on Wednesday.
The Chicago Bulls are locked in to the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference after Friday’s 119-89 win over the Washington Wizards at the United Center.
The Bulls needed only one win in their final two regular-season games to ensure they would finish ninth or better in the East. A rout of the 17-win Wizards — led by a career-high 23-point performance from Julian Phillips — was plenty to clinch that position and earn home-court advantage for the first round of the NBA Play-In Tournament.
The Bulls will face the 10th-seeded Miami Heat on Wednesday night at the United Center. The start time has yet to be announced.
Halfway across the country, the Atlanta Hawks secured the East’s No. 8 seed with a 124-110 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hawks will play the seventh-seeded Magic in a first-round play-in game Tuesday in Orlando, Fla.
If the Bulls lose to the Heat on Friday, they would be eliminated from the postseason. If they win, they will advance to play the Hawks-Magic loser April 18 on the road. The winner of that game would earn the No. 8 seed in the East playoffs and a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
This is the second consecutive year that the Bulls have finished as the No. 9 seed — and their third straight trip to the play-in tournament. Both of their prior play-in tournaments ended with road losses to the Heat.
More in Chicago Bulls
