Even though they are the Eastern Conference's second seed, the Chicago Bulls are in an interesting situation heading into the second half of the season.

It would be unreasonable to dismiss them as a contender just on the basis of their performance this season, but there are still many unanswered issues regarding this team. The first question about them is that they haven't beaten a single elite team all season, and their record versus the other top teams in each conference is embarrassing. Obviously, this is a huge worry, given that they would have to work their way through practically every single one of those teams if they were to achieve their goals.

Another factor that will most likely keep this Bulls squad out of winning in the playoffs is that they have a unique offensive approach. DeMar DeRozan has been playing fantastic basketball this season, but the fact is that iso-ball doesn't always work in the playoffs. The biggest thing that will be a problem for the Bulls is their lack of interior defense. When facing the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia Sixers, with Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bulls will not be able to slow down either of those players.

Let's take a look at some of the reasons the Bulls are both contenders and pretenders.

Winning an NBA title is never easy. As we have seen with the past 20 champions, every team is going to need something significant to go their way. Whether that is an unfortunate injury to someone, or having guys on the roster step up more than they ever have. There is a reason why winning a championship is so hard, and a reason why we have seen crazy upsets in the past. If a team is going to win a title, they’re going to need everyone on their roster to be playing the best basketball they possibly can, and even sometimes that isn’t enough to get the job done.

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Bulls pretenders or contenders?

Contenders

2. DeMar and Zach LaVine are one of the NBA's best duos

Given that neither of them has ever won anything and Zach LaVine has yet to appear in a postseason game, it isn't yet appropriate to declare this duo the best in the NBA. The fact is that, based on this season alone, they have obviously played high-level basketball and have to be regarded as one of the top duos in the NBA.

The issue now for this Chicago Bulls team is if both of these players can continue to play this level of basketball in the playoffs, and find a way to be engaged and score as much as they both can.

1. They have above-average guard defense when healthy

Although the Chicago Bulls have one of the worst interior defenses in the NBA, there's no doubting that when they're completely healthy, they have some of the best guard defenders in the league. This is going to be crucial for the Bulls in the future, especially because they'll be playing against some star-studded guards in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Getting stops against players like Trae Young, James Harden, Khris Middleton, and others who will be playing the one-three positions will be a challenge for the Bulls, but if they stay healthy, they should be confident in what they have now in terms of guard defense.

Pretenders

2. DeMar's postseason history and their lack of experience

This Bulls club, with the exception of a few players, has no postseason experience. Experience isn't necessarily required to win an NBA championship, but it surely helps more than it hurts.

DeMar DeRozan, who has never really performed well in the playoffs, is another factor in Chicago. He has a history of choking in the playoffs, and if that tendency continues, the Bulls will not be able to accomplish their goals. On the other hand, he has never truly played this sort of basketball in his career, so it's difficult to say at this point that this pattern is likely to persist.

1. They have no paint defense

The biggest thing keeping this Chicago Bulls team from being a title contender right now is their terrible paint defense. Elite big men regard Nikola Vucevic as dinner, which will be a serious problem for this Bulls squad.

There isn't a better way to describe it. They won't be able to achieve the success that this team desires unless they figure out how to defend the rim at a higher level. You can't let guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid get too comfortable around the basket, because if you do, they'll have a field day with you and may end up winning the series simply based on how good they both play.

Both of those players are always going to play high-level basketball, and even the best center in the world won't be able to stop them. However, in the Bulls situation, there's no one who can even come close to slowing these two guys down, and it will be a significant part in whether or not they can be the team that everyone wants them to be.