Chicago Bulls now face a difficult string of games as they try to snap the losing streak

The Bulls will first face the Celtics who are on a nine-game winning streak

© Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls were expected to be better than this. 

Even with starting point guard Lonzo Ball out indefinitely as he recovers from knee surgery, the Bulls have the personnel and the potential to be a playoff-contending team. But after starting the season with a 6-10 record, they now find themselves amid a four-game losing streak, facing a difficult string of games ahead.

The road isn't going to get any easier

Let's start with the good news: Ball, the team's two-way stud, is making progress, said head coach Billy Donovan. However, he remains without a timetable for his return.

Lonzo Ball (knee) isn't running yet and his recovery process is "going slow, but he's doing more and he's doing more and he's doing more" in his rehab, Billy Donovan says. He has added new work in his rehab lately.

There remains no timetable for his return, Donovan says.

— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) November 19, 2022

Now onto the bad news: the Bulls' schedule isn't going to get any easier. They have upcoming games against some formidable teams in the Eastern and Western Conference, starting with a matchup against the red-hot Boston Celtics who are on a nine-game winning streak.

Chicago will be taking on a Boston squad that will welcome back the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart, who missed a couple of games due to injury.

The next six games will see the Bulls go on the road against a veritable gauntlet of playoff and surprise teams. They will take on the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks (11-4), the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder (7-9), the surprising Utah Jazz (11-6), and the dangerous Phoenix Suns (9-6). They will then end their road trip with games against two Pacific division squads — the reigning champions Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings.

Sense of urgency

The Bulls are struggling to keep their head above water, and this upcoming stretch could define their season. Zach LaVine said the team would have to dig deep and find a way to snap their losing streak.

Bulls are 6-10 and have lost 4 straight

Zach on the teams sense of urgency heading into the tough stretch pic.twitter.com/O4yx2yBGze

— Will Gottlieb (@Will_Gottlieb) November 20, 2022

It's time for the Bulls to rise, show some resilience, and end this skid before it becomes too much of a distraction. The future is on the line for Chicago. What they do now will determine their fate. It's time for the team to dig deep and find a way to pull out of this slump.