Bulls better than we thought

With less than 10 percent of the season gone, I already have to go back on my word. The Bulls WILL make the playoffs.

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For one, I was counting on Tyrus Thomas being healthy. But wouldn't that be a plus, you say? Nope.

In just seven games, Taj Gibson has already shown he understands the game—offensively and defensively—better than Thomas might ever understand it.

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Do you realize that with Noah (11.4 ppg, 12.4 rpg) and Brad Miller (8.1 ppg, 4 rpg) the Bulls have perhaps the best numbers in the league at the center position. When was the last time the Bulls could say that? The Artis Gilmore era?

Noah and Miller are better than Shaquille O'Neal-Zydrunas Ilgauskas (18.1 ppg, 13.3 rpg) and out-rebound the lopsided combo of Dwight Howard-Marcin Gortat (23.4 ppg, 15 rpg).

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But here's the biggest reason for my renewed optimism in the Bulls: wait until Kirk Hinrich and John Salmons start shooting better!

The two are off to terrible starts, yet the Bulls are still finding ways to win.

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But despite the shooting woes, the Bulls are 4-3 against six teams that look like sure-fire playoff teams, four of which might make their respective conference finals—Boston, Cleveland San Antonio and Denver. And, when you think about it, they're a Brad-Miller-fingernail away from being 5-2.

There's a few more things I'll add about this Bulls team: They look more cohesive without Gordon around; they're playing harder; and, they look like they're having fun doing it.

So, forget my silly "no playoff" prediction from a few weeks ago.