A Brief History of the Chicago Bulls and Its Regular Season Records: 1966–67 to 2020–21

Unlike previous decades, the 1990s was a successful decade for the Chicago Bulls, as the team under head coach Phil Jackson was very determined to win multiple championships after they remained above 0.500 during several regular seasons. However, since the 1997–98 season, the last time Jackson’s team won their NBA championship, the Bulls have reverted to their old ways, struggling to maintain similar success despite showing some promises. The Bulls’ best win-loss record was 72–10 in the 1995–96 regular season, while their worst win-loss record was 15–67 in the 2000–01 regular season. (Grouped column chart by Aristidas Tankus: https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/8785528/)

Dick Klein, a businessman and former basketball player of the National Basketball League’s Chicago American Gears, founded the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 16, 1966. Before the Bulls, however, the Stags, which was founded 20 years earlier, was the first Chicago team to play in the NBA before their disestablishment in 1950 due to a lack of fans.

Despite the NBA’s return to Chicago 11 years later, the newly established Chicago Packers finished the regular season at 18–62, losing fans in the process. Before the 1962–63 season, the team quickly changed their name to the Zephyrs.

Unfortunately, Klein was unsuccessful in purchasing the team and keeping them in Chicago; the Zephyrs relocated to Baltimore in the fall of 1963 and became known as the Baltimore Bullets. Chicago would have no basketball franchise once again. Klein did not lose hope, however; with support from ABC, which was also negotiating television rights with the NBA, he was able to attract more partners. By 1966, Klein would establish a Chicago team that still plays in the NBA today.

The Bulls under head coaches Johnny “Red” Kerr and Dick Motta represented the Western Division from the 1966–67 season to the 1969–70 season. However, during their time in the Western Division, all of their records were below 0.500.

From the 1970–71 season to the 1980–81 season, the Bulls played in the Western Conference. During their time in the Western Conference, six of the Bulls’ records in the regular season were above 0.500, while only four were below 0.500. The Bulls went above 0.500 for the first time in the 1970–71 season, finishing at 51 wins and 31 losses. Following the 1976–77 season, the Bulls would fall below 0.500 for the remainder of the decade.

The Bulls would move to the Eastern Conference in the fall of 1980 after the Dallas Mavericks were established. From the 1980–81 regular season to the 2020–21 season, the Bulls went above 0.500 21 times, finished at 0.500 four times, and were below 0.500 17 times. In the 1980–81 regular season, the Bulls went above 0.500 in the Eastern Conference, achieving a 45–37 record.

Overall, between 1966–67 and 2020–21, the Bulls were above 0.500 for 27 regular seasons, at exactly 0.500 for four regular seasons, and below 0.500 for 24 regular seasons.