NBA: 3 teams primed to make a late-season playoff push

Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls have been somewhat of a wreck since dealing Jimmy Butler to Minnesota but right now they have the most talent since that divorce. Zach LaVine is a legitimate scoring specialist. Lauri Markannen, though experiencing a drop off from last year, has the potential to be an All-Star as a sharpshooting big. Wendell Carter Jr is a true defensive centerpiece.

This team is young and, yes, a bit dysfunctional. Sparks have flown between the coaching staff and the players as they have adjusted to each other. The infamous “leadership committee” from last season become somewhat of a punchline.

I really do believe that LaVine can grow into a star on a winning team. He’s got every tool offensively to be a No. 1 option on a playoff team. His shooting and finishing are top-notch, it just hasn’t translated into wins just yet.

As these players grow and mature in their roles, the path to success should become clearer. The All-Star break can be a reset button of sorts for this team to forget a disappointing start and push for that 8 seed.

Growing pains will always plague young teams, but the Bulls have too many valuable pieces for that not to be overcome one way or another. In this last stretch after the break, things might finally come together for a Chicago team that has been struggling for a while now.