The Chicago Bulls are taking their season down to the wire.

The Bulls (40-41) need a victory over the hapless Brooklyn Nets to claim a playoff berth in the last home game of the year.  The Bulls were in the driver’s seat for a spot but lost to the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets on the road, thus needing final game heroics if this team wants to continue to play.

Dwyane Wade is back after missing nearly three weeks with an elbow injury but G Rajon Rondo is nursing a sprained wrist which is slowly coming around. Rondo is day-to-day for the Bulls.

Luckily, Rondo wasn’t needed as Chicago won in a cake-walk. The Bulls led by 21 after the first quarter and the Orlando Magic were simply out-matched. Robin Lopez scored 18 points to lead the way for Chicago. The five starters all scored in double figures. Jerian Grant, the young point-guard had 17 points and 11 assists, a career high for him. Nikola Mirotic had 16 points for the Bulls.

Chicago shot 54% from the floor and 46% from long-distance. Those numbers usually add up to a victory.  Jimmy Butler didn’t have to work so hard, he only played 31 minutes. The reserves saw a lot of playing time, with Bobby Portis leading the way with 10 points.

It was exactly the kind of win the Bulls needed. They lost a heart-breaker to the Nets by a point in Brooklyn the other day and now face them again at the United Center. If the Bulls win the game, they will be headed to the post-season. If not, there will certainly be a lot of finger-pointing in the press.