Updated NBA Playoff Picture: Chicago Bulls clinch No. 3 seed in East

Apr 13, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) high fives forward Nikola Mirotic (44) after scoring during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Chicago Bulls won 113-86. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) high fives forward Nikola Mirotic (44) after scoring during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Chicago Bulls won 113-86. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NBA Playoff Picture is taking shape, and the Chicago Bulls have locked up the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and a series against the Bucks. 


It’s been a rough season for the Chicago Bulls as they’ve endured rumors about Tom Thibodeau being run out of town, another Derrick Rose injury and various other things that would have derailed anyone else’s season.

But the Bulls are a resilient team, and that was proved on Wednesday night when they beat the No. 1 seeded Atlanta Hawks to lock up the Eastern Conference’s third seed.

Here’s a look at the updated NBA playoff picture after the Chicago Bulls clinched the No. 3 seed in the East and set up a first-round showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks.

2015NBABracket_form
2015NBABracket_form /

This is ideal for the Bulls, as playing in Milwaukee is basically a home away from home game for the team and that’s going to be the case in the postseason. Bucks fans will show up, but Bulls fans are tenacious and will invade their neighbors to the north for every game played there.

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What makes this development interesting is the Bulls have secured a road to the NBA Finals that takes them to Cleveland in the second round and not in the Conference Finals. That’s notable as it would bring about an epic showdown between LeBron James and the Bulls that NBA fans have been waiting for all season long.

There’s no guarantee that it will happen, but the Bulls are in the most ideal situation possible and seem primed for a deep postseason tun this year.

Next: Updated NBA Playoff Picture

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