CHICAGO — When the final buzzer of the NBA regular season sounded Sunday at the United Center, it marked a clear step back for the Chicago Bulls, who finished with a 40-42 record after a 103-81 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Coach Billy Donovan warned in training camp that this season would be more challenging for the Bulls after establishing themselves as a more cohesive threat in 2021-22, when they earned their first playoff berth in five seasons.
But that challenge proved even stronger than the Bulls expected. They went from finishing 10 games above .500 last season to a losing record and the last spot in the play-in tournament that determines the final two playoff seeds.
