April 08--Dwyane Wade had 21 points, five rebounds and four assists while Joe Johnson scored 17 to lift the Heat. The Bulls got 25 points from Jimmy Butler, 21 from Pau Gasol and 17 from Derrick Rose but fell for the second consecutive game. The loss further damaged the Bulls' postseason chances as they are now hanging by a thread in the Eastern Conference.
It's almost over
The Bulls are on life support in the East and not only need to win their final three regular-season games, but also have the Indiana Pacers lose their last four games. In other words, start looking at NBA draft lottery possibilities.
Despite that fact, Gasol said the team's mindset has been good.
"I feel it's been pretty positive, all things considered," Gasol said. "It's hard when the team has struggled and we've put ourselves in this position where there is a lot of tension and pressure. But we deserve to be in it because of how we played. The team has to understand that games in November, December and January are just as important as the games now in April. The lack of sense of urgency has been pretty noticeable. But overall ... we try to stay positive (and) we try to stay together."
The Bulls can be officially eliminated if the Pacers defeat the Raptors in Toronto on Friday night.
"It's difficult but at the same time all we can do is continue to compete right now, stay together, give it our best," Gasol said. "We've just been extremely inconsistent throughout the year. You can't afford it. Teams are too good out there. No matter how talented you are, you don't win based on talent. You win based on desire, togetherness, effort (and) determination."
Once again, the defense disappeared
After a strong first half, the Bulls forgot to play defense in the third quarter and it cost them the game--again. It is a pattern that the Bulls have established throughout the season and is the main reason they are to have their run of seven consecutive postseasons appearances snapped.
"It's been the message to go out there and play a full 48-minute game," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "It's what you have to do in this league if you want to fight and be in a position to win championships. We were too inconsistent in that area this year."
Said Gasol: "We haven't been giving (defense) enough importance on a gamely basis. We haven't been able to put enough games where we play together with intensity and the effort required on the defensive end. In this league you're going to have better or worse nights offensively but defense is what is going to give you a chance every single night and we rely too much on our offense. We just haven't had the defensive mindset or emphasis on it. So we paid the price a lot of times. We've been too casual many times. That's why we are where we are."
Decisions, decisions
The Heat pulled away down the stretch due to the strong play of Hassan Whiteside. The center was a beast off the glass and muscled his way past Gasol in key situations. Hoiberg made the decision to insert Gasol back in the game despite a strong effort by rookie big man Cristiano Felicio.
Hoiberg said he thought about leaving Felicio in the game but instead made the change with 7 minutes remaining and the Bulls down one point.
"I went with a guy that's won two championships, I went with the guy who is a veteran, a guy that's made plays his whole career," Hoiberg said of Gasol. "That was the sub I made and Pau went in and made some plays for us. He knows where to be on the screens and specialty plays that we run. That was the decision-making on that. (I) just went with the veteran."
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