NEW ORLEANS _ Postgame showers and buses to the airport would have to wait.
After defeating the Pelicans 117-110 on Sunday at the Smoothie King Center to run their winning streak to four, Bulls players lingered in the dressing room to watch the overtime between the Cavaliers and Pacers in a game that had a direct impact on the battle for Eastern Conference postseason berths.
Keeping tabs on the out-of-town scoreboard has gotten a lot more enjoyable for the Bulls since they have worked their way into a playoff spot. After that, it has been up to them to take care of business to maintain or improve their positioning.
If they got a little help along the way, all the better.
The Bulls were winners on both of those fronts Sunday. Jimmy Butler took control with 39 points, including 13 in the second quarter when the Bulls raced to a 19-point advantage, and then they learned that the teams surrounding them in the East _ the Bucks, Heat, Hawks and Pacers _ all lost.
That left the seventh-place Bulls one game ahead of the Heat and Pacers and pulled them to within a game of the Hawks for sixth and two behind the Bucks for fifth.
"We've really come together the last couple of weeks because we wanted to make that playoff push," said Bobby Portis, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. "It means a lot to us because at the start of the season we weren't picked to make the playoffs so we want to prove our doubters wrong."
If anyone still doubted that Butler is among the NBA's elite players and can elevate his game when his team needs it most, he again showed he is worthy. Butler was 14-for-26 from the field, including 3-for-3 on 3-pointers, and added six rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes.
Butler's effort helped negate huge games by the Pelicans' Anthony Davis (30 points, 11 rebounds) and DeMarcus Cousins (26 and 18). On Saturday, Butler scored 33 in 43 minutes in the Bulls' win over the Hawks.
"I'm dialed in," Butler said. "I'm doing what my team needs me to do and we're winning. At the end of the day that's all that matters."
Coach Fred Hoiberg agrees.
"That second quarter was unbelievable what he was doing, just shooting it from all over the floor and that rhythm that he had going," Hoiberg said. "Our guys did a great job of finding him. He just was rising up and shooting it like there was nobody else in the gym."
Rajon Rondo continued his strong play. The veteran point guard flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Joffrey Lauvergne added 15 points and Paul Zipser made the defensive play of the game when he blocked a shot by Jrue Holiday that could have cut the Bulls' lead to four with 36.5 seconds remaining.
Butler then sealed the deal with a 20-foot baseline jumper with 19.6 left to give the Bulls a 115-107 lead and send the fans to Bourbon Street.
While the Bulls obviously are keeping tabs on the teams around them, Hoiberg said they are concentrating on their game as they close in on the .500 mark at 38-39.
"We just have to worry about ourselves," Hoiberg said. "Every day get in the gym, get in the film room, continue to learn (and) continue to make positive strides forward as a basketball team. I've been really happy with our guys' approach lately and hopefully it continues these last five games."
