The NBA season is not even a week old, and the Chicago Bulls have already quietly exceeded the expectations placed upon them entering this year. Through two games, they sit at 2–0 with hard-fought victories over the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic, making them one of only four teams still with a zero in the loss column.
Most analysts assumed the Bulls were fully pivoting toward youth development and destined for another year in the bottom third of the NBA. That expectation was reflected in the initial power rankings, which placed Chicago at a discouraging 23rd out of 30 teams.