The 2008–09 Chicago Bulls season is the 43rd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the playoffs, the Bulls lost to the defending NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, in seven games in the First Round. The defending champion Celtics were also taken to a seven game series the prior season in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks. They finished with a 41-41 record for the third time in their past four seasons.