Who knew? Somewhere between ‘play-in purgatory’ and ‘accidentally competent,’ the Chicago Bulls have discovered their best basketball, right as the rest of the league stopped paying attention.

At 32-40, the Bulls have spent the year as the Eastern Conference’s most forgettable team, going back-and forth between the 9th and 10th seeds. After losing DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade in the off-season and trading Zach LaVine at the deadline for what amounted to spare parts (and future draft considerations), this was supposed to be a throwaway season.

But in a twist nobody saw coming, Chicago has caught fire at an interesting, going 8-2 in their last 10 while averaging 122.5 PPG and posting a +8.9 net rating—numbers that would make even their tired skeptics check in and notice. Their recent scalps include:

• A statement win over a red-hot Indiana Pacers team
• A gritty victory against the Denver Nuggets (though Nikola Jokic sat)
• A 31-point demolition of the Lakers in Los Angeles, who had both LeBron James and Luka Dončić healthy.

This resurgence isn’t coming from a superstar – it’s coming from a misfit crew that’s finally clicking. The 34-year-old Nikola Vučević is playing like a man who remembered he’s a two-time All-Star, anchoring the offense with his passing and scoring. Coby White has gone from streaky shooter to legitimate three-level scorer, bombing away from deep and attacking the rim with confidence.

Josh Giddey, acquired in the once-panned Alex Caruso trade, has been a revelation, stuffing stat sheets like he’s playing NBA 2K on rookie mode. His near-quadruple-double against the Lakers (15 PTS, 10 REB, 17 AST, 8 STL) was a masterclass in all-around impact.

Rookie Matas Buzelis, seen by many as a project, is flashing serious potential as a versatile wing who can shoot, defend, and make smart cuts. In the victory against the Lakers, while Giddey was all over the floor, he (31) and White (36) powered the offense and combined for 67 points on a superb 24-of-35 shooting.

Credit also goes to Billy Donovan, who has this group playing unselfish, uptempo basketball – a stark contrast to the iso-heavy slog of past years. The ball is zipping, the defense is active, and suddenly, the afterthought Bulls appear to be fun.

Can they actually make the playoffs?

Let’s be real: Chicago isn’t winning a title. But with this momentum, they could be the scariest play-in team in the East. Whenever a team is playing with house money, there’s a level of feistiness that oozes, and that can be dangerous, even against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and defending champion Boston Celtics.

All the beauty in this sudden hot stretch proves they can be more than just a play-in placeholder, but sustaining this level against elite competition will be the true test of their growth, and we shall soon see.