In the season finale between the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks, the goal is to not get injured. Both teams have locked up playoff spots and home court advantage so staying healthy is the best thing that can come out of this final matchup as the postseason is a few days away. The Hawks and Bulls have suffered their share of injuries this season, so anymore could be catastrophic to the overall plan.
The Bulls have home court advantage wrapped up in a season that could have been disastrous. Chicago once again lost Derick Rose for a good portion of the season which deemed the team done for the year. However, the Bulls continued fighting in a weaker Eastern Conference and now the point guard is healthy which could mean postseason success will follow.
With Rose out with a torn meniscus, the Bulls went 10-10. However, when he is healthy, the team improved to 32-18 on the season while winning their last three of four games. Rose is slowly getting back into form. He put up 13 points and seven assists in the win over the Brooklyn Nets while sitting the entire fourth quarter. Since his return, the Bulls are keeping Rose on limited minutes. He is averaging 14.0 points while shooting 32.2 percent including going 6 for 31 from the 3-point line.
The Atlanta Hawks are struggling with health as their best season in franchise history wraps up. The Hawks will get back Paul Millsap who missed the last five games with a shoulder injury. He is expected to be healthy while Dennis Schroder and Pero Antic are expected to return to the lineup against Chicago. The biggest issue for Atlanta is the absence of Thabo Sefolosha who was a key reserve in the defensive effort. Sefolosha is out with a broken leg as the incidence is under investigation as the NYPD's actions are under fire for the injury.
As a result, Jeff Teague, Al Horford and Kyle Korver are carrying the load. The team is fresh off a loss to the New York Knicks. While they looked good on offense, the team played soft on defense possibly in an effort to avoid injuries. The Hawks are aiming for the season sweep over the Bulls after winning the first two matchups.