Who says you can’t come home again? For Nazr Mohammed, coming back to play for his hometown Chicago Bulls was almost like his career coming full circle. Mohammed went from starring at Kenwood Academy in Hyde Park to winning two NCAA National Championships at the University of Kentucky and an NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs.

Mohammed joined the Bulls as a free agent last summer to be a backup for Joakim Noah after the departure of Omer Asik to the Houston Rockets. He appeared in 63 games this season, making 12 starts and averaged 2.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11 minutes per game.

His best game of the season came in a loss to Toronto in mid-April where he logged 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in 43 minutes of action on the court. However, the highlight of Mohammed’s season came in Game 3 of the Bulls second-round playoff series against the Miami Heat.

Early in the second quarter, Mohammed became entangled with LeBron James just past half court. After being thrown to the ground by James on the play, Mohammed took exception and retaliated by shoving the four-time league MVP to the floor, to the delight of the United Center crowd who began to chant, "Nazr!"

Mohammed was ejected for his actions and the Bulls lost the game, but the shove immediately became an Internet sensation, prompting one fan to go so far as to make Mohammed his very own ‘We Are All Watching’ commercial. You've got to give a guy a good grade based on that alone. 

Grade: C

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Luol Deng will forgo surgery for a second straight summer to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist, according to an ESPN Chicago report. Deng suffered the injury over a year ago in a road game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

He chose not to have surgery immediately after he was hurt, and after the Bulls were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season, he declined a second time because it would’ve jeopardized his chances of competing for Great Britain in the 2012 Summer Olympic games held in London.

Deng suffered the same injury in the same wrist as a rookie.

This season, Deng helped the Bulls to a 47-35 record and was named an All-Star for the second consecutive year. His season came to an abrupt end after suffering from flu-like symptoms to which he was given a spinal tap while the Bulls were in the midst of their first round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets.

During the season, Deng averaged 16.5 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Phil Jackson took center stage Thursday night at the Palmer House Hilton to talk about his new book, "Eleven Rings," with Chicago Bulls beat writer K.C. Johnson. Nearly 800 people packed the Grand Ballroom to hear the winningest coach of all time discuss life and basketball for about 45 minutes, and afterwards, the coach signed copies of his new book for a number of lucky fans.

Jackson touched on a number of different subjects, including Derrick Rose, Tom Thibodeau and his days as coach of the Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. With that came a number of funny anecdotes that elicited laughs and applause from the crowd.

Here are a few highlights:

On Derrick Rose:
I think he’s a terrific player with great heart – he’s fearless. … There’s an inner kind of gauge a player has about when he’s able to play and the confidence about being able to do what he wants to do and be fearless on the court. Derrick never got to that point. He questioned it. He has an obligation to fulfill his contract and he should play if he’s capable, but when you have a player of that status, who plays that way, with that kind of intensity and determination, he’s got to be able to do what he does best.

On Tom Thibodeau:
Tom’s a good coach. He really does a great job with this team. He works really hard with this team; I just hope it doesn’t kill him.

On the triangle offense:
The triangle offense, the sideline triangle that we promoted all those years and thought was such a fine system, has really been denigrated over the last three or four seasons. A lot of people think it’s too difficult an offense for present day basketball, and I don’t think it’s true. … You do so many things in the NBA today off the dribble and screen rolls, and not everybody is involved in the play. Whereas the system that I ran with Tex Winter who was with me and promoted that offense, everybody was involved. It’s a very intricate team offense.

On the 1995-96 Bulls team that won 72 games:
That was a transcendent team. It was a team that changed the basketball format. Everybody was looking for a point guard – a Chris Paul or Isiah Thomas type guard that could lead – we went with two big guards. We went with Scottie Pippen and Ron Harper. Steve Kerr off the bench was our small guard at 6-3. … Our team was Harper, Pippen, Jordan, Toni Kukoc and Dennis Rodman playing whoever had to be played. We had a team where anybody could play any position, anybody could advance the basketball, and anybody was capable of scoring, except Dennis Rodman.

On Dennis Rodman:
Dennis was very serious about basketball, but he came late to the arena all the time. He would always get there an hour before the game – the rule was an hour and a half, but he just couldn’t get there. So he would come in and say, "I don’t have to shoot [before the game] because I don’t do any shooting." Instead, he would get on a bicycle and lift weights and have a full sweat in about 20 minutes. Then he’d take a shower – usually we’d have our meetings 30 minutes before game time – and he’d come out and go to his locker and sit in the chair naked with just a towel over his head. So for the coaches and myself who were trying to give the plan of attack... Big distraction.

Unfortunately for rookie Marquis Teague, he was drafted to a team with a head coach who has a reputation for not playing rookies. But Teague would end up seeing significant time on the court – in spurts – as the Chicago Bulls battled injuries in the backcourt and the rookie from Kentucky would be thrust into a sink-or-swim situation.

Needless to say, the results were favorable.

Like most first-year players, it took Teague a while to adjust to the NBA, and when he was given some time at the beginning of the season, it was clear that he was a project and had a lot of work ahead of him. But credit his coaches, teammates and veteran leadership at the lead guard spot from guys like Kirk Hinrich and Derrick Rose for Teague’s progression because by the end of the season, he looked like someone who will be a legitimate NBA point guard.

Teague appeared in 48 regular season games and eight of the Bulls' 12 playoff contests. He shouldn’t be gauged on his numbers – which weren’t awe-inspiring – but his progression over the course of the season as he showed an ability to penetrate and get to the rim at will, while also proving to be a capable defender as well.

Of course, his shot definitely needs a lot of work considering he shot 38 percent from the field, 17 percent from the three-point line and 56 percent from the charity stripe, but that’ll come in due time as long as he continues to put in the work.

Marquis Teague will be a capable role player in the NBA as his career progresses, but for a rookie who was thrown into a unique situation, you can’t really complain about the job he did with the minutes he was given.

Grade: C-

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Derrick Rose didn’t find a lot of supporters in his decision to sit out the Bulls 2012-13 campaign. The questions about his mental toughness and ability to lead grew with each besuited stint on the bench, while his teammates slogged through.

But D. Rose does have a supporter in former Bulls head coach, and all around basketball legend Phil Jackson. According to an ESPN Chicago report, Jackson, who is in Chicago to promote his newest book, “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success,” appeared on the Mike & Mike show on Wednesday and gave his opinion on the former MVP sitting out the season.

“Leave him alone,” said Jackson. “This is a guy who hopefully ... still has another 10 years to play. Let's not put him in under duress that may not be the right time. He needs to have a training camp and go through the process of gearing up for another season the right way.”

Rose repeatedly left the door open to a possible return to the court this season and fans were hopeful for a playoff comeback from the superstar that never materialized, leading to frustration amongst the fan base. Jackson even approached the injury comparison to Rose and another Chicago hoops product, New York Knicks guard Iman Shumpert, and hammered home the differences between the two players.

"I think Shumpert had the injury almost at the same time and almost the same injury, but it's a totally different person," Jackson said. "Shumpert has been in and out of the lineup and he had some situations with it. But he's also a guy that's not the franchise guy. I know that ownership in Chicago must have been like, 'We'd love him to play, but if he doesn't, that's OK, because we have somebody who's a prime mover for the next 10 years or so.'"

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Phil Jackson, without question, is the greatest NBA coach of all time. Between six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and five with the Los Angeles Lakers, combined with having coached Hall of Famers such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, Jackson’s legacy and mark on the game is etched in stone.

The former head coach is now retired, but he has a new book out that he’s currently promoting, “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success” which went on sale this past Tuesday.

The book has gained a lot of publicity of late as Jackson goes to great lengths to shed some light – and even debunk a few myths – on the similarities between the greatest shooting guards to ever play the game, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

On Thursday, Jackson will appear at the Palmer House Hilton at 7 p.m. to talk about his new book and sign copies for the first 200 people in line. Tickets are still available if you’d like to attend and if you can’t, you can still catch the live stream here.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

The Rip Hamilton experiment didn’t go quite as well as people had hoped, particularly the Chicago Bulls' front office. With the team desperately in need of a shooting guard at the time, fans balked at the signing of the aging guard while management clearly had visions of Derrick Rose and Rip Hamilton, who was an All-Star and won a championship while in Detroit, streaking down the court together and being a fast break nightmare for the opposition.

Unfortunately, we only got to see that a few times as injuries hampered Rose and Hamilton the last two seasons.

Branded a malcontent while in Detroit, Rip Hamilton was a model citizen in Chicago. He just couldn’t stay healthy enough to make a real impact. In his first season, he missed 38 of the Bulls' 66 games, and this season, he appeared in 50 games, missing 32 with a variety of different ailments.

Late in the season and going into the playoffs, Hamilton was pulled from the rotation completely and spent a lot of time on the bench as a spectator. And in the playoffs, Hamilton appeared in just four of Chicago’s 12 postseason games.

He logged a total of 10 scoreless minutes on the court in the two games he played in the series against the Brooklyn Nets but was much more impactful in his two games in the Miami Heat series. Hamilton said he was healthy and ready to contribute, but Tom Thibodeau obviously didn’t feel that way and seemed to play Hamilton because he just didn’t have anyone left in the series against the Heat.

Through it all, Hamilton never complained or made waves, he just waited for his opportunity. It’s unlikely he’ll return to the Bulls next season and it’s a shame that injuries, age and attrition have diminished his game the way that it has.

But if we’re being honest, Rip Hamilton was never a factor in Chicago, plain and simple. And even though he feels he still has more to give to the game of basketball, he just wasn’t able to give it to the Bulls.

Grade: D-

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Former University of Illinois guard Brandon Paul was in Chicago last week for the NBA Draft Combine, trying to make an impression with scouts and general managers from all 30 NBA teams. Paul, one of the few seniors at the event, had a solid college career at Illinois.

He didn’t necessarily establish himself as a superstar while at Champaign, but he did raise his points per game average, field goal shooting and free-throw percentage every season. The 6-4 guard is ready to take the next steps in his basketball career and he’s hoping that step will lead him to an NBA franchise.

“It’s a blessing to be able to be at the NBA Draft Combine, and I want to make the most of my opportunity,” Paul told Outside Shot. After giving himself a ‘B’ grade for his performance on the first day of the combine, the Gurnee native gave himself an ‘A’ on day two.

“I stepped my game up a little bit,” he said. “On the first day, I didn’t knock down shots that I usually make, but I felt I shot the ball a lot better [on the second day] and I was also trying to be really vocal and get guys involved and on the same page.”

Paul will most likely be a shooting guard at the next level but says he also has the ability to play point guard in spots, something he learned while at Illinois.

“I’m a natural scoring two-guard,” Paul explained. “I came to college that way, but throughout the last four years, I juggled a couple of different roles because we didn’t really have a backup point guard, so I got to run the point which was the best of both worlds.”

While at the combine, Paul interviewed with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, who both will pick later in the draft, and he has more interviews scheduled. But for now, Brandon Paul is just happy to be in this position and on the cusp of living his lifelong dream.

“It’s great. I love the game of basketball. I came to the combine and saw all of the coaches and faces of people you recognize on TV and it’s just been a blessing,” he said. “I just want to continue to move forward and make the most of my opportunities.”

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

As injuries befell the Chicago Bulls this season, the front office was forced to bring in fresh bodies just to have a complete roster. In January, the team signed Daequan Cook, a 6-5 shooting guard with a reputation for being accurate from long range.

Cook has bounced around the league a little bit and the Bulls would be his fourth team in six years.

His stay in Chicago wasn’t necessarily a memorable one as he appeared in 33 games and averaged 8.4 minutes per outing, and it seemed like his shooting stroke may have gotten lost with his luggage on his initial trip to the Windy City. Cook shot 28 percent from the field and 25 percent from the three-point line.

Of those 33 games with the Bulls, Cook would crack double digits just three times and had a season high of 19 points in a February road loss to the Denver Nuggets. He would score just 25 points in his first 10 games, reminding Bulls fans of the time the team signed Devin Brown to come in and be a shooter and couldn’t make anything.

In the playoffs, Cook wouldn’t fare much better. He appeared in six games – three against Brooklyn and Miami – and scored just three points in the postseason. It’s unlikely the Ohio State alum will be back in a Bulls uniform next season, although he didn’t disappoint too much as not a whole lot was expected from him.

He wasn’t a disruption in the locker room, got along great with his teammates and was pleasant to be around from a media standpoint, but if you come to a team with a shooter's rep, the least you can do is make some shots.

Grade: F

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

The debate between which player of today is better than Michael Jordan is beyond tired but also unavoidable.

Current players will always be compared against past greats, but LeBron James, who many feel has revolutionized the game of basketball because of his sheer size and the way he plays the game, is said to be the player who will someday surpass Jordan as the greatest of all time.

Many people have weighed in on this topic, from current players to ex-players. Last year, Jordan’s former teammate on the Bulls, Scottie Pippen, seemed to back the notion that James was better than Jordan -- which raised a few eyebrows and the ire of Bulls fans -- only to backtrack from the statement later.

Now Alonzo Mourning, a former Miami Heat player who also just happens to be on the payroll, concurred with Pippen’s statement in a very public manner.

Speaking at the opening of a local Microsoft store in Miami, Mourning was asked who was the better player between MJ and LBJ. The former center had this to say: “I’m gonna tell you what Scottie said. Scottie said that LeBron would kick MJ’s [butt]. And I said, ‘Scottie, you’re right.”

Mourning went on to clarify his statement by citing James’s physical prowess and athleticism compared to Jordan’s as the reason for the advantage, but it was clear that the mere mention of Pippen – a guy who won all six of his championships alongside Jordan – was almost like a co-sign.

So yes, LeBron James is bigger and stronger that Michael Jordan, and statistically, he may pass MJ in a number of categories before his career ends. But where it matters most is what happened in the NBA Finals.

Jordan is a flawless 6-0 while LeBron James is already 1-2. That part of the discussion isn’t up for debate.

Derrick Rose sitting out the 2012-13 NBA season was one of the hottest topics in the league during the last 12 weeks or so. Many of the opinions were unfavorable, but Rose’s teammates and many of his other NBA fraternity brothers supported his decision to take his time through the recovery process.

Washington Wizards rookie guard Bradley Beal doesn’t seem to be one of those supporters. Beal appeared on a local Washington, DC-area sports talk radio show and gave his two cents on the Rose situation, according to the Washington Post.

“If you’re practicing for two months and everybody in practice is saying you’re practicing well, I figure you gotta give it a shot in a game. Look at David Lee. You don’t have to play significant minutes, but the fact that you’re out there and that you’re actually giving it a go, I think people will respect that,” said Beal who then fired this shot: “I don’t know what was holding him back. I think he’s scared.”

Most people felt that Rose’s issues were of the mental kind as opposed to the physical variety, but because we’re not him, none of us are qualified to speak on what he should and shouldn’t do. Beal goes on to say that if he were Rose’s teammate, his decision to sit out this year would’ve caused him to lose some respect for D. Rose.

“A little bit. Yeah, I would,” Beal said. “The type of player he is, and the mentality and competitiveness that he has, I think he would have gave it a go. … But you’re never the same after an injury. But you just have to fight through it and do something else to be able to impact the game.”

The Wizards rookie also stated that even though he knows the seriousness of an ACL injury, he’s never had one and says the ultimate decision on whether to play or not is up to Rose himself.

After this season, some may feel that Derrick Rose is soft, but he’s never been one to take kindly to trash talk (just as Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner). Bradley Beal may find that out the hard way next season.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

The Chicago Bulls' run came to an end as the Miami Heat defeated them in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. It was the second time in three years the Heat have eliminated the Bulls, increasing the chances for this rivalry to grow in intensity next season.

However, when you think about it, the Bulls probably shouldn’t have made it as far as they did, considering the way key players went down late in the season and how they were forced to play shorthanded on many nights.

These gritty and tough Bulls always seemed to find a way to win, though, and their “more than enough” mentality caught a lot of teams by surprise this year. The 2012-13 campaign can’t be considered a disappointment in any way because of the way the team overachieved, and now is a great time to evaluate each member of the roster and their contributions this season.

Vladimir Radmanovic

“Vlad Rad,” as he’s been called around the league, is known for his ability to shoot the ball at 6-10. However, the 11-year veteran was buried on the end of Tom Thibodeau’s bench and played in only 25 games during the regular season and made just one appearance in the postseason.

During the year, Radmanovic averaged 1.3 points per game and 5.8 minutes, both career lows. It was tough for him to crack Thibs’ rotation and he spent more time as an NBA spectator with a great view of the action than an actual NBA player.

Needless to say, this was a lost season for the veteran stretch forward who most likely won’t be back next season. On a team that had trouble scoring on many nights, his ability to make shots and stretch the floor could’ve sorely been used.

But in Tom Thibodeau’s system, if you don’t defend, you don’t play, and Vladimir Radmanovic is certainly not known for his defensive acumen.

Grade: F

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

While many in the basketball world weren’t pleased with Derrick Rose’s decision to skip the season due to rehab on his torn knee ligament, the Chicago Bulls’ coaches and players stood behind their superstar. On the outside, the chatter regarding Rose was largely negative, but on the inside of the organization, there was nothing but support.

“He heeded [Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's] advice from the beginning to not rush it and make sure you’re completely comfortable before you get out there. It’s too important of a decision for him to rush. Until he’s completely comfortable, we don’t want him out there,” Tom Thibdeau told CSN Chicago. "We knew [missing the season] was a possibility and that’s fine. You deal with it as best you can. We just want him to continue to work the way he has been working and we want him completely healthy.”

Of course, sitting out the year wasn’t fine for people who wanted Rose to suit up and play for their immediate gratification as opposed to thinking long-term. Everyone became doctors overnight and declared Rose fit to play because he’d been medically cleared, even though he didn’t feel he was ready.

“It was hard. You definitely, as a player, you know you want him to come back, but at the same time, you understand you’ve got to look at the big picture and I’m really proud of him, actually,” said Joakim Noah, Rose’s staunchest and most public supporter. “I think he’s dealt with it great, with all the pressure coming from a lot of people. I think the way he handled it, it was great. I don’t think a lot of people could have handled it like that. But if I was his big brother or I was a family member or something, then you look at it from that perspective, he did the right thing.”

For many, Derrick Rose doing the right thing meant getting on the court with his teammates and playing. But for those who saw him working hard day in and day out, doing the right thing was just what D. Rose did: take his time.

“He has to keep working. I think he’s in a pretty good place mentally. With him, if we were going to make a mistake, we were going to make a mistake on the side of caution, so we feel good about where he is," Thibodeau explained. “He has the whole summer to build more confidence and that’s the important thing, and as we said when he first had the surgery, we weren’t going to rush him back and we held to that, and I think it was the smart decision.”

It’s unfortunate, but the 2012-13 season for the Chicago Bulls won’t be remembered for what the team accomplished, it’ll be remembered as the season that Derrick Rose elected not to play.

Not only is that unfair to D. Rose, but it’s unfair to the team who fought hard and scrapped and did things that no one expected them to do. But this post isn’t about that. This is about the way everyone seemed to turn on the guy that made professional basketball in this town worth watching again.

Whether in articles, Facebook posts or on Twitter, many people felt Derrick Rose owed someone something. Fans screamed, “we pay your salary!” and national columnists and sports television personalities screamed, “you owe it to your teammates to play!”

But ironically, out of all the opinions thrown out about the decision to take things slowly, very few people mentioned that Derrick Rose owed it to himself and his family to get back to his pre-injury state, not matter how long it took. The amount of vitriol thrown his way with each game the Bulls won, especially in the playoffs, reached near-epic proportions, especially when many guys on the roster were playing hurt and in a few cases, sick.

As sports fans, especially Chicago sports fans, the Rose injury and subsequent wait for his return brought out the ugly side in of a lot of us, even in those of us who cover sports for a living and who should know better. Many of the members of the local media who bashed or questioned Rose should have a much greater understanding of the seriousness of Rose’s injury and subsequent rehab, and then communicate that to our audience instead of playing up the narrative that painted D. Rose in a negative light.

And hey, if the local guys can bash the Bulls best player, then it’s fair game for the national media to do it as well, right? Now all of a sudden you have everybody talking about Derrick Rose and the angry voices were far louder than the voices of those offering support and understanding.

In fairness, from a PR perspective, the situation certainly could’ve been handled and executed a lot better, and things could’ve been done in a way that didn’t seem to leave D. Rose on an island. But through it all, he handled the criticism magnificently. A soft or mentally work person wouldn’t have been able to do that.

In the end, Derrick Rose at least deserved the benefit of the doubt for knowing his body and knowing he wasn’t ready to compete at the level he was before he got hurt. Yes, putting on his uniform and merely playing would have been sufficient for everyone else, but it wouldn’t have been good enough for him. And we should all understand and respect that.

Derrick Rose doesn’t owe any of us anything, and we would do well to remember that no matter how much an athlete earns, they are still people and not commodities. 

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information 

The comparisons between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have been discussed ad nauseum.

On the surface, the Lakers superstar is the closest thing we’ve seen to Jordan in terms of style of play, confidence and swagger.

MJ won six rings with the Chicago Bulls in the 90’s and Kobe won five titles with Los Angeles between 2000 and 2010. But that’s about where the comparisons end according to the man who knows the two superstars best, Phil Jackson.

Jordan and Bryant were responsible for all 11 of Jackson’s NBA coaching championships, but says the two players have more differences than similarities in his new book, ‘Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.’

Here’s a few excerpts from the book, courtesy of the Los Angeles Times:

On their personalities:

"Michael was more charismatic and gregarious than Kobe. He loved hanging out with his teammates and security guards, playing cards, smoking cigars, and joking around. Kobe is different. He was reserved as a teenager, in part because he was younger than the other players and hadn't developed strong social skills in college.

“When Kobe first joined the Lakers, he avoided fraternizing with his teammates. But his inclination to keep to himself shifted as he grew older. Increasingly, Kobe put more energy into getting to know the other players, especially when the team was on the road."

On their styles of play:

“Michael was more likely to break through his attackers with power and strength, while Kobe often tries to finesse his way through mass pileups. Michael was stronger, with bigger shoulders and a sturdier frame. He also had large hands that allowed him to control the ball better and make subtle fakes.

"Jordan was also more naturally inclined to let the game come to him and not overplay his hand, whereas Kobe tends to force the action, especially when the game isn't going his way. When his shot is off, Kobe will pound away relentlessly until his luck turns. Michael, on the other hand, would shift his attention to defense or passing or setting screens to help the team win the game."

On their abilities as a leader:

"One of the biggest differences between the two stars from my perspective was Michael's superior skills as a leader. Though at times he could be hard on his teammates, Michael was masterful at controlling the emotional climate of the team with the power of his presence. Kobe had a long way to go before he could make that claim. He talked a good game, but he'd yet to experience the cold truth of leadership in his bones, as Michael had.

“Bryant gradually evolved during the 2008-09 championship season, when the Lakers successfully retooled with a more finessed look with Pau Gasol instead of the brute force of the Shaquille O'Neal teams. If Bryant talked to teammates in his earlier Lakers years, it was usually, "Give me the damn ball.” But then Kobe started to shift. He embraced the team and his teammates, calling them up when we were on the road and inviting them out to dinner. It was as if the other players were now his partners, not his personal spear-carriers."

Of course there are sure to be other great nuggets in the book as it is reportedly more about Kobe than Jordan, but there’s no question that Phil Jackson appreciated the greatness of both players, and how could he not? Each helped make him the man who finished the game with the most titles of any head coach in NBA history.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Nobody knew what to expect from Nate Robinson when he signed with the Chicago Bulls late last summer to a non-guaranteed deal. But the 5' 9" guard proved to be worth far more than a minimum salary player.

On many nights, the basketball court became lil’ Nate’s playground and the smallest guy on the team, who also just happens to have the biggest heart, won a lot of games for the Bulls this season. He scored 34 points against Brooklyn in Game 4 and singlehandedly put the team in position to win that triple-overtime thriller.

Sadly, the business side of basketball may cause Nate to wear a different uniform next season even though he would love to continue playing basketball in the Windy City.

“This is the best team I’ve been on,” Robinson said after Chicago’s elimination from the playoffs on Wednesday night. “This group of guys is very special. We worked hard every day. We brought it.”

And at least one fan would like for the Bulls to bring ‘Nate the Great’ back next season.

An online petition called “Keep Nate Robinson in Chicago” was put together by a Bulls fan who says, in part, “Nate Robinson is an integral part of Chicago Bulls family. His energy, passion and scoring prowess have contributed heavily to the success of this team. Robinson, a seven-year veteran, has always showed flashes of genius, but it wasn't until this year with the bulls that he really seemed to come into his own.”

Indeed he did. So much so that the NBA went so far as to make a commercial around his Game 4 heroics.

Who knows what the future will bring for Nate Robinson as it relates to the Bulls? He’s obviously earned himself a pay raise plus job security in the form of a long-term deal next season based on his performance this season.

Hopefully that can happen here, but if it doesn’t, Bulls fans will always remember the way that Robinson saved what was essentially thought to be a lost season.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

 As has been their M.O. all season, the Chicago Bulls fought until they couldn’t fight anymore. The 94-91 loss to the Miami Heat exemplified their ‘never say die’ attitude and even LeBron James called it the toughest closeout game he’s ever played in.

But none of that matters now. The Heat are advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals, again, and the Bulls are going home early for the summer, again.

But despite the disappointment of being eliminated by the Heat for the second time in three years, the Bulls have nothing to hang their heads about because looking back, they shouldn’t have even gotten this far. And to say this team overachieved in 2012-13 would be an understatement.

A brand new roster, no Derrick Rose all year, and injuries that plagued key players late in the season would’ve been enough to knock any team on their backs; but not these Bulls. They consistently displayed a toughness and grit that earned them respect across all of the NBA because no matter the odds, they never stopped fighting against them.

Tom Thibodeau, while not the best minutes manager in the league, proved once again why he’s one of the NBA’s elite coaches. No one could’ve done what Thibs did with this team this year and there isn’t another coach who gets maximum effort from his team each and every time he sends them out on the floor.

Shamefully, none of those points would end up being the storyline of the Bulls season this year. No, it was all about Derrick Rose and his decision to take his rehab slowly as opposed to rushing himself back on the court before he felt ready to play. Opinions were split down the middle between support and admonishment for D. Rose and the conversation around his decision to sit out the entire year totally overshadowed how well the team played in his absence.

The emergence of Jimmy Butler, Joakim Noah making his first All-Star team and Nate Robinson basically saving the season in more ways than one, was merely a footnote and took a backseat to “Rose bashing” for the most part. However, the reality is that what happened to D. Rose this season – in terms of the negative public perception – is an unfortunate part of sports.

If an athlete doesn't do what we think they should do, then we kill them for it, figuratively. But this Bulls team deserves to be applauded for all they accomplished in the face of what would ordinarily be insurmountable odds, and did things many people didn’t expect them to do: like finish above .500 for the season and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, or get by the Brooklyn Nets in seven games and then beat Miami in the first game of the semifinals. 

These things should have been celebrated more instead of spending every Bulls conversation locked in on Derrick Rose.

Who knows how this team will look next season as the front office has some difficult choices to make in the coming months. But for they way they fought each and every night and for the pride they displayed representing the “Chicago” emblazoned across their jerseys, the 2012-13 campaign was a successful one in a lot of ways and it’s a campaign that every Bulls fan should feel pride in.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

The Chicago Bulls improbable run ended on Wednesday night in their 94-91 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5. The Bulls trailed early in the first quarter as the Heat looked as if they were trying to put the game away early.

But Chicago showed plenty of fight and for nearly three quarters, looked as if they would actually be able to steal the fifth game in the series. But in the end, playing on the road and the talents of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade proved to be too much for the undermanned Bulls and their season comes to an end at the hands of the Heat for the second time in three years.

The Good

As they’ve shown all series long – and throughout the playoffs – the Bulls aren’t going to go down without a fight. Carlos Boozer (26 points, 14 rebounds) made his impact on the game early and seemed to the set the team’s offensive tone. Jimmy Butler (19 points, five rebounds) ended his season on a high note, scoring the ball well on one end and doing a decent job defensively on LeBron James at the other end. Nate Robinson (21 points, five rebounds, six assists) snapped back from his scoreless outing in Game 4 and also played well. Finally, Rip Hamilton (15 points) was huge in the game considering he’d been pulled from the rotation and buried at the end of the bench during the postseason. The Bulls outrebounded the Heat 40-32 (15-6 on the offensive glass) and outscored Miami in the paint 34-30.

The Bad

The Bulls were outscored in the fourth quarter 25-14 and allowed the Heat to shoot 50 percent from the field in the final stanza. LeBron James was also 0-4 from the field and scored just four points – all at the free-throw line – and Chicago still couldn’t find a way to win.

The Ugly

The Bulls turned the ball over 16 times and the Heat converted those giveaways into 27 points. Joakim Noah (three points, nine rebounds) didn’t have his best game offensively, going 1-5 from the field in the loss. Marco Belinelli (three points) also struggled going 1-3 from the field, as did Taj Gibson (two points, one rebound) who went 1-4 shooting.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

If you’ve ever gone to a Chicago Bulls game at the United Center, one of the memories you’ll almost always come away with is of Benny the Bull. The team mascot is the center of the in-arena entertainment and he never disappoints.

From spilling a giant bag of popcorn on unsuspecting fans, to hanging from the rafters of the United Center banging a drum, if you’re not watching the action on the court, your eye is almost always on Benny.

On Tuesday, Forbes picked their top 10 mascots across the professional sports leagues in the United States and Benny the Bull came out on top. He was followed by Pat the Patriot (New England Patriots), Mr. Met (New York Mets), Phillie Phanatic (Philadelphia Phillies) and Rowdy (Dallas Cowboys) rounded out the top five.

Awareness, likeability, attention getting, photo friendliness, interaction and fun were all factored into  The Marketing Arm’s Davie Brown Index.

Benny has been the Bulls mascot for the better part of 40 years and does more than just make appearances at home games. Benny can be seen out and about and different events (approximately 250 a year) around Chicago and even outside of the city as he’s usually a fixture during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend as well.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information 

Derrick Rose hasn’t played a minute of NBA basketball this season as he continues to take his time rehabbing from his torn knee ligament. But that lack of activity hasn’t stopped him from being ranked in the top 10 of highest paid professional athletes.

On Wednesday, Sports Illustrated dropped their 10th annual ‘Fortunate 50’ which lists the 50 highest paid athletes in the United States. Headlining the list was boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather with projected earnings in 2013 of $90 million.

Derrick Rose checked in at No. 7 with $33.4 million -- $16.4 million from his Chicago Bulls salary and another $17 million coming from endorsements. Rose is the third NBA player in SI’s top 10 behind the Miami Heat’s LeBron James, who was second behind Mayweather at $56.5 million, and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, who was fourth with $46.8 million.

Seeing D. Rose on this list may not make some Bulls fans happy, but it’s still a pretty big accomplishment for someone who’s only been a professional athlete for five years. Be sure to check the rest of the Sports Illustrated Fortunate 50, here.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information 

The Chicago Bulls have one shot at extending their season on Wednesday night when they’re in Miami for Game 5 of their series against the Heat, but it doesn’t look good. Only eight times has a team come from behind 3-1 to win a series in the NBA, and even after their disappointing performance in Game 4 on Monday night, these Bulls still haven’t given up hope despite history not being on their side.

“You never know when that beautiful story is going to happen. Down 3-1, you never know,” said Nate Robinson after the Game 4 loss. “Take them to Game 7, we end up winning. It’s going to be a beautiful story to tell my kids one day, so we don’t count ourselves out. Never that. We’re going to bounce back and get ready for the next game.”

The Bulls will have to play that next game shorthanded once again. Of course, Derrick Rose is out, Kirk Hinrich is probably out as well, and Luol Deng didn’t even make the trip to Miami. After a locker room that looked tired and fatigued on Monday, that doesn’t bode well in a game where their backs are against the wall.

“We’ve got to play with that dog mentality now. I look forward to playing on the road. It’s us against the world,” said Taj Gibson. “That’s the way you have to feel, us against the whole state of Florida. We’ve got to go in there and get a win. We’ve done it. Teams have [come back from 3-1] in history.”

“You’ve got to take it one quarter at a time. You can’t try to hit a home run,” said veteran guard Rip Hamilton. “You can’t go in and say we’ve got to win three games. You’ve got to say you’ll take the first quarter and the next and then you’ll be all right. You talk three games and you put too much pressure on yourself.”

Game 5 tips off Wednesday night at 6 p.m. 

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Derrick Rose isn’t exactly the most popular guy in the NBA since electing to skip the Chicago Bulls' 2012-13 campaign to recover from his torn knee ligament. The Englewood native has been called soft, mentally weak, not fit to lead, and he’s reportedly even been sued for his decision not to play.

This has all happened right here in Chicago, and the chatter from other parts of the country has been equally as critical.

But one Chicagoan stands behind D. Rose and his decision: stand-up comedian and one of the stars on NBC’s "The Office," Craig Robinson.

Robinson appeared recently on ESPN’s SportsNation television program and sang a song he wrote for the injured basketball star. And yes, it was hilarious.

Hopefully, someone has shown this to D. Rose who could probably use something to laugh about considering how much heat he’s taken both in Chicago and around the country for his decision.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

All throughout the Chicago Bulls' playoff series against the Miami Heat and the Brooklyn Nets, many people have asked, “Where is Rip Hamilton?” The veteran guard was taken completely out of Tom Thibodeau’s rotation and couldn’t be seen in any action even during the Bulls' triple-overtime victory over the Nets in the first round.

So perhaps it was pure desperation on the part of Thibodeau, but the coach actually played Hamilton in Game 4 on Monday night to the surprise of everyone, including Rip.

"Wow, I’m going in the game!" was Hamilton’s response when Thibs called his number early in the second quarter. “I bet you all were thrown off, too! Hey, it’s a crazy game. Sometimes you just have to be ready for that time.”

For someone who has barely seen any action in the postseason, Hamilton looked OK, scoring 11 points and dishing out four assists. He didn’t shoot the ball well, going 4-11 from the field, but that’s to be expected since he only has gotten shots up in practices as opposed to actual games.

“It’s just one of those things where we’re already in the second round, so I’ve got to try to catch a rhythm fast. I’ve missed a lot of games,” Hamilton said. “I missed the last 15 games of the year – played only three or four – but I didn’t play a whole lot of minutes. So now I’m like thrown in the fire. You don’t have any time to really think and you play off all instinct. That’s what I tried to do tonight.”

“Marco picked up his third, so we were trying to generate something and we need everyone,” Thibodeau explained of his decision to play Hamilton. “I didn’t think our team played great, but I liked the fact that he got in there and he made some things happen.”

Hamilton still didn’t seem to understand why he was yanked from Thibodeau’s rotation. The coach had previously alluded to the veteran being hurt as the reason for his benching.

But to his credit, Hamilton never complained, he just tried to be as positive as possible and help the team in other ways. He also says he has no hard feelings about the situation whatsoever.

“You can’t be bitter. This league has always been great to me. I have fun enjoying something that I love to do and that’s play basketball. Sometimes it’s going to go your way, sometimes you can’t control it. I couldn’t control it, so it’s like, ‘Hey, all right, you’ve got to deal with it.’”

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

The Chicago Bulls now find themselves in a 3-1 playoff series hole after Monday night’s 88-65 loss at the United Center to the Miami Heat. Fortunately for Chicago, the series isn’t over and they still have another game to play.

But unfortunately, the Bulls are up against history as very few NBA team have ever come from being down 3-1 to win a playoff series.

And if Monday night’s performance was any indication, it’s unlikely Chicago will be the first to erase that trend. They came out flat from the opening tip and just seemed to run out of gas. Heart and toughness will only get you so far in the NBA and at the end of the day you’re going to need talent.

Chicago certainly has the will to win this series, but with regard to Miami, they just don’t have the talent to compete.

The Good

Nobody got hurt. Does that count? Chicago managed to have four players score in double figures compared to just two for Miami. Carlos Boozer (14 points, 12 rebounds) contributed a double double to the Bulls’ cause while Jimmy Butler (12 points) was the only other starter to notch double digits. Rip Hamilton (11 points, four assists) also made an appearance after being taken totally out of Tom Thibodeau’s rotation. Chicago was +10 in rebound margin, 46-36, and +3 in second-chance points, 12-9.

The Bad

Chicago turned the ball over 17 times and Miami capitalized with 16 points off their takeaways. The Bulls also couldn’t capitalize on Miami’s giveaways scoring only nine points on the Heat’s 17 turnovers. Miami also had twice as many assists than the Bulls, finishing with 24 in the game.

The Ugly

The shooting was atrocious for the Bulls in Game 4 as they shot 19-24 from the field (26 percent) in the game. The 19 made field goals was a new franchise playoff low, as well as the nine points the team scored in the third quarter. Nate Robinson shot an abysmal 0-12 from the field while Jimmy Butler was 4-10; Rip Hamilton 4-11, Carlos Boozer 3-14 and Joakim Noah went 1-6.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

LeBron James scored 27 points and the Miami Heat nearly matched a franchise record for points allowed in a playoff game, pounding the listless and short-handed Chicago Bulls 88-65 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The 65 points allowed were only two more than the all-time postseason low for a Miami opponent, and it was easily the worst offensive performance by a Chicago team.

Never before had the Bulls scored fewer than 69 in a playoff game nor 10 or less in a quarter during the postseason, but both those marks fell on a night when they were dominated on both ends of the floor.

Miami led by 11 at the half and put this one away in the third quarter, outscoring Chicago 17-9 in the period.

• Game 4: The Good, Bad & Ugly

Now the Heat will try to wrap up the series at home on Wednesday night, taking what they hope will be the next step toward a second straight championship.

It's hard to believe the Bulls won the series opener the way the past three games have gone.

Miami pounded Chicago in Game 2, coming away with its most lopsided playoff victory while handing the Bulls their worst ever postseason loss, and the Heat continued to roll from there.

James had his usual complete game with eight assists and seven rebounds Monday.

Chris Bosh finished with 14 points after scoring 20 and grabbing 19 rebounds in Game 3, and the Heat won again despite another quiet night from Dwyane Wade, who finished with six points. Norris Cole also struggled with seven points after back-to-back 18-point performances, but the Heat had more than enough in this one.

They shot about 49 percent while the Bulls set a franchise playoff low at 25.7 percent. They were particularly bad from the outside, going 2 for 17 from 3-point range.

The Bulls again were missing ailing Luol Deng and injured Kirk Hinrich (calf), and a team that kept finding ways to win despite being short-handed all season simply appeared to run out of steam.

Carlos Boozer had 14 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double in the postseason but was just 3 of 14 from the field. Jimmy Butler scored 12 and Joakim Noah grabbed nine rebounds, but it was a miserable night for Chicago — particularly Nate Robinson, who missed all 12 shots and did not score.

James scored 15 points and Bosh added 12 in the first half to help the Heat take a 44-33 lead at the break, but that doesn't even come close to telling the complete story.

Consider this.

Miami shot just under 53 percent, with the Bulls at about 27 percent. Chicago was also 1 of 11 on 3-pointers, and the only conversion from long range came from Richard Hamilton.

Remember him?

After playing a grand total of 10 minutes over two playoff appearances, coach Tom Thibodeau turned to him early in the second quarter with Miami threatening to put the game away.

The veteran guard entered to loud cheers with the Bulls trailing 30-17 after back-to-back 3-pointers by Shane Battier and Ray Allen, and the crowd was roaring after Hamilton nailed a wide open 3 from up top and Taj Gibson converted a three-point play.

That made it a seven-point game, but the Bulls couldn't sustain any momentum. The Heat suffocated them on both ends, squeezing a little harder every time Chicago made a push.

There was no energy from the Bulls, none of the resourcefulness that carried them to 45 wins during the regular season and to the second round in the playoffs.

They were trailing 44-31 with about 40 seconds left after James made a neat spin move on the break and got fouled by Nate Robinson for a three-point play.

Joakim Noah’s season, the one that saw him named an NBA All-Star for the very first time in his career, was capped off by the announcement on Monday that the Chicago Bulls big man was named to the league’s All-Defensive first team.

Noah received eight first and second team votes on a panel that consisted of 30 of the NBA’s head coaches asked to select players by position. Coaches were not allowed to vote for players on their own team.

Rounding out the first team was LeBron James (Miami Heat), Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder), former Chicago Bulls center Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks), a Chicago native in Tony Allen (Memphis Grizzlies) and Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers).

And in a rather bizarre twist, Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies), who was named Defensive Player of the Year, wound up on the second-team instead of the first.

Noah is the Bulls' first All-Defensive first team member since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen back in 1998.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of Derrick Rose undergoing surgery to repair the torn ACL in his left knee. According to a CSN Chicago report – and despite the point guard insisting on keeping the door open for a possible return in the playoffs – Rose will not make an appearance in the Chicago Bulls' series against the Miami Heat.

Tom Thibodeau reportedly is aware that Rose wouldn’t return, and for many fans – those who aren’t angry, at least – the writing was always on the wall anyway. Rose is said to have been seriously considering coming back against the Heat but ultimately decided against it.

The Bulls find themselves down 2-1 in their series against the Heat with Game 4 being played at the United Center on Monday night. Chicago will continue to be short-handed as Luol Deng also isn’t likely to return as he continues to recover from a spinal tap. Kirk Hinrich, whose calf bruise continues to be a serious issue, is also out.

Hopefully this news of D. Rose not coming back will quell many of the expectations of those still holding out hope to see No. 1 back on the court against Miami. However, there will unfortunately be many more people who will find Rose at fault for not coming out directly and saying he wasn’t playing instead of being non-committal on his status.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

In a season where injuries and playing shorthanded has become almost the central theme of the Chicago Bulls' campaign, it should come as a surprise to no one that Luol Deng will likely be out for as long as the Bulls can stay alive in their series against the Miami Heat.

The All-Star still hasn’t recovered from the spinal tap he received before Game 6 of the Brooklyn Nets series and hasn’t been able to get through a full practice since.

“I’m okay. Just trying to get back in the rhythm of things. It’s not as bad as it was before. Just trying to practice. I did some individual work yesterday and I started throwing up a little bit. I couldn’t finish the workout,” Deng told CSN Chicago on Sunday. “I tried to practice with the team today and the same thing. My body, my system is not reacting well to anything I’m doing right now.”

Deng said he lost 15 pounds as a result of his medical procedure but says he has gained back two pounds since then. Regardless, he’s still not ready to play even though he wishes he could give the team something, anything.

“Even if I could give five or 10 minutes or whatever out there to give these guys a little break. But I can’t even get through a regular warmup,” he said.

“I want to be out there on the bench at least. But I’m coughing so much I don’t want to be out there the whole time coughing and not standing up,” Deng said. “But I’m in the United Center cheering for guys. It’s tough, man. It’s been a long season. Being there and not being out there with the guys is frustrating.”

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Tom Thibodeau has been fined $35,000 by the NBA for his critical comments toward the officiating during the Chicago Bulls' loss in Game 3 on Friday night. The head coach feels his team isn’t getting any calls in their series with the Miami Heat and he said as much, albeit cryptically, after the Bulls' loss.

“I’m watching how things are going," he said. "I watch very closely.”

Thibodeau declined to comment on the fine.

As for the other Friday night infraction in which Nazr Mohammed’s shove on LeBron James resulted in him being ejected, no announcement has been made by the league on whether the veteran center will be suspended from Game 4. Mohammed said he is choosing not to focus on the matter any further.

“We're not really going to talk about that today. I'm trying to move on from that,” Mohammed told CSN Chicago. “I'm just getting myself prepared to play tomorrow. You know it's a big game for us. We have to defend our home court. They took back home-court advantage by coming in our gym and winning, and the most important thing is to win tomorrow."

Game 4 tips off Monday night at 6 p.m.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Nazr Mohammed isn’t exactly known for being an enforcer in the NBA. The usually quiet and thoughtful big man is generally regarded as one of the nicest guys in the league.

But on Friday night in Game 3, “Big Naz” as he’s sometimes referred to, snapped. After fouling LeBron James early in the second quarter in an attempt to stop a Miami Heat, the league MVP pushed Mohammed to the ground. After getting up, the 15-year veteran retaliated and forcefully shoved James to the ground, an act for which he was ejected.

After the game, both Tom Thibodeau and Mohammed disputed the ejection, feeling as if it was unwarranted.

“I don’t think it warranted an ejection. I do believe it warranted a tech,” said Mohammed. “I mean, just give a foul so a guy doesn’t start a break. He pushes you, throws you down, sometimes instincts take over. But that definitely doesn’t warrant an ejection.

“Guy’s going on a steal on the break. You want to stop the break. I tried to stop the break, got tossed to the ground, got up, instinctively. I’m just so happy I didn’t do anything else. I just pushed. Because I can’t even recall — I had to come back in the locker room and watch it — because I couldn’t even recall what happened. Because I was kind of pissed that he pushed me to the ground. It was a soft foul. It wasn’t like I fouled him hard. You expect that when you foul a guy hard. You expect him to give you a little extra, but not on a soft, stop-the-break type foul.”

“From my angle, I just saw a guy, basically flop, and I’m going to leave it at that,” said Tom Thibodeau.

Nate Robinson wouldn’t speculate on why Mohammed was kicked out of such a crucial game, but felt that perhaps because it was LeBron James who was on the receiving end, the refs made the call to eject the veteran big man.

“Who knows, man? That’s our superstar of the league, so there you have it,” said Robinson. “Naz is a quiet guy. My uncle and my father always told me the quiet ones are who you’ve got to worry about. So I wouldn’t put it past Naz to move him out. Naz is a great guy, man, and sometimes, guys get frustrated."

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

The Chicago Bulls had a golden opportunity to take a 2-1 series lead over the Miami Heat on Friday night, but their efforts fell just short in a 104-94 loss. In a game that somewhat resembled the physical nature of Game 2 in Miami, ultimately, the Bulls' lack of depth – due to injury and an ejection – played a very large role in the loss.

Now the Bulls have their backs against the wall as Game 4 looms on Monday night and they desperately want to avoid going down 3-1 in the series, a deficit that no team has ever been able to overcome.

The Good

The Bulls had all five starters score in double-digits, led by Carlos Boozer (21 points) who had been a no-show in Games 1 and 2. Nate Robinson (17 points, six rebounds, seven assists) played well and Jimmy Butler (17 points, five rebounds) did a great job while having to contend with LeBron James once again. Joakim Noah (15 points, 11 rebounds) contributed a double-double and Marco Belinelli (16 points, six assists) played well also. Chicago shot 46 percent from the field and dominated the Heat scoring in the paint, 44-28, and second-chance points, 14-4. The Bulls also scored 18 points off the Heat’s turnovers.

The Bad

Chicago usually won’t win games if they’re outrebounded. And although the margin wasn’t a lot, Miami still held a 39-37 advantage on the glass. The Bulls also allowed the Heat to shoot 50 percent from the field in the game.

The Ugly

Nazr Mohammed’s shove on LeBron James with 9:29 on the clock in the second quarter affected the already shorthanded Bulls and forced Tom Thibodeau to play just seven players in the game. As a result, the Heat bench outscored the Bulls in dominating fashion, 36-8. Chicago also had trouble connecting from downtown, shooting just 32 percent from beyond the arc. Lastly, Game 2 was one the Bulls had to win to give themselves a chance in the series and it would seem that being shorthanded against a deep and talented Miami Heat squad is starting to catch up with them.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Taj Gibson’s profanity laced tirade at referee Scott Foster for which he was ejected in the Bulls' embarrassing loss in Game 2 earned him a $25,000 fine on Friday afternoon before Game 3.

Gibson became upset at Foster for not making a call early in the fourth quarter and laid into the official.

“I should’ve conducted myself better or walked away," Gibson said told the Chicago Tribune. "It was just frustration. You’re getting blown out. It’s playoffs, on national television. Just got to move on.”

It didn’t help Gibson that Stu Jackson, the NBA’s Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations who also levies fines and suspensions, was in attendance at American Airlines Arena and witnessed the entire episode.

Gibson took to Twitter on Friday to apologize for his actions.

“I want 2 apologize #Bulls & #NBA fans 4 my actions. Got 2 keep my passion focused on my team. Get hyped for tonight #Chicago ! #seered”

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

When the discussing the Chicago Bulls playoff run this season, usually, only one name comes to mind: Nate Robinson. The 5-9 guard has been the topic of much discussion because of his fearlessness and his ability to put the Bulls on his back and carry them to victory on a number of occasions this postseason.

As a result of his stellar play, the NBA has added him to their ‘We Are All Watching’ campaign and constructed a video from his heroics in Chicago’s triple-overtime thriller against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs.

Nate Robinson has endeared himself to Bulls fans and the City of Chicago because of his play this season and now he’s endeared himself to basketball fans around the NBA as well. This commercial is a well-earned celebration and appreciation for what he’s done for the shorthanded Bulls during the regular season and the playoffs.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information. 

Former Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman feels it’s time to take matters into his own hands when it comes to freeing Kenneth Bae, an American citizen who is currently imprisoned in North Korea. The Hall of Famer made a very controversial trip to the country to take in a basketball game with current dictator Kim Jong Un, son of the now deceased Kim Jong Il.

Rodman now plans to head back to the country to try and broker the release of Bae because he says he’s unsatisfied with the way President Obama is handling the situation.

"We got a black president [who] can't even go talk to [Kim Jong Un] ... Obama can't do s---, I don't know why he won’t do it,” Rodman told celebrity gossip news outlet TMZ.

Rodman called Kim Jong Un a “friend” and asked the dictator to do him “a solid” and set Bae free. But apparently, the process isn’t moving as quickly as Rodman would like, prompting him to say, “I'm gonna try and get the guy out,” during his return trip to North Korea on August 1.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

Joakim Noah couldn’t have known that the woman who shoved her middle finger in his face after being ejected in Game 2 was none other than Filomena Tobias, a woman with a backstory so wild, it could be a Hollywood movie or at least a Lifetime original.

After Thursday’s practice at the Berto Center, Noah was asked about the incident and the big man just shrugged it off, although he did say it wasn’t a whole lot of fun being flipped off by a fan.

"Do you have fun when somebody sticks their middle finger in your face?" Noah said to ESPN Chicago. “It's all good. It's all part of the process."

Tom Thibdoeau also brushed the incident aside, saying his team has bigger and more important things to worry about than some unruly fan.

"You can't get wrapped up in stuff that's not important," Thibodeau said. "The important stuff is to concentrate on doing your job and to have the toughness, the physical and mental and emotional toughness, to get through all the things that you have to go through on the road. For the most part, Jo has done a good job with that, but as a team we let our emotion get to us. We can't do that."

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat continue their rivalry Friday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, only this time, the Bulls have the luxury of playing in front of their home fans at the United Center. With the series tied at 1-1, playing at home gives Chicago a great chance to gain some ground in the series.

Unfortunately, they’ll likely have to do so without the services of Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich who haven’t officially been ruled out of Game 3 by Tom Thibodeau, but it’s unlikely the two starters will make an appearance.

On Thursday, Deng spoke for the first time about his flu-like symptoms that resulted in the All-Star having to undergo a spinal tap which he then suffered complications from. Deng said through the ordeal he’d lost approximately 15 pounds and still doesn’t feel well physically, let alone being able to play basketball.

“I tried to shoot a little bit and I struggled. I couldn’t do it. We’ll see,” Deng told CSN Chicago after the Bulls’ practice Thursday at the Berto Center. “I want to play, but I don’t know what I can do. I haven’t done anything. It really sucks."

As for Hinrich, he didn’t participate at all in Thursday’s practice session as the left calf bruise he’s suffering from still hasn’t improved to the point of him being able to take the floor with his teammates.

The Bulls are used to playing shorthanded and they have been all year, but against the Miami Heat in the NBA Playoffs, it doesn’t bode well for them in this series that two of their best active players are out and unable to participate.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

One of the knocks on Carlos Boozer over the past few years is how well he plays during the regular season, only to then disappear during the postseason. That disturbing trend has once again reared its ugly head as the Bulls battle the Miami Heat in the second round.

In the first round against the Brooklyn Nets, Boozer was phenomenal, scoring in double figures in every game and notching four double-doubles in the series. However, in the first two games against the Heat, Boozer has been non-existent and there has been a dramatic fall-off in his production. It's strange considering how well he played against the Heat during the regular season.

In Chicago and Miami’s first meeting this season, Boozer scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. In the second matchup he had 12 points and 11 rebounds; in the Bulls' streak-snapping win over the Heat, his line was 21 points and 17 rebounds; and in the final game of the regular season between these two teams, he scored 16 points and grabbed 20 rebounds.

However, in Game 1 of Chicago’s playoff series against Miami, Boozer scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds. In Game 2 he had eight points and four rebounds. Additionally, he hasn’t shot the ball well, going 3-11 and 3-9 from the field respectively in both games.

This disappearing act puts an increased amount of pressure not only on the Bulls' frontcourt, but the rest of the team as well who have to try and offset his lack of offense against a strong defensive team like the Heat.

If Chicago is going to have any shot at pushing Miami, Carlos Boozer has to make himself a factor. After a season where the Bulls have been decimated by injuries and forced to play shorthanded, Boozer was Chicago’s most reliable and consistent player.

The Bulls need him to be that same consistent and reliable player in the series against the Heat that he was during the regular season.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

The 115-78 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals was the worst playoff loss in the history of the Chicago Bulls franchise. The Heat came out much more focused and aggressive than they did in Game 1, and the rust they showed in the opening game of the series was completely non-existent.

In a game that featured two ejections and six technical fouls seemed to set the “real” tone for the rest of the series. But despite the blowout loss, Joakim Noah isn’t too concerned.

"We didn't play well, but it's not the end of the world," Noah told the Chicago Tribune after Game 2. "It's 1-1 and it’s going to be a big Game 3 in Chicago."

The Bulls and Heat have no love lost between them, and that was evident on Wednesday night. But both teams do have a respect for one another and Chicago knows that nothing is going to come easy.

"We got one game," Taj Gibson said. "Every game is tough. That’s a good team over there. They’re the defending champs. Nothing is going to come easy. Just because we’re going home doesn’t mean anything. It’s still going to be a tough game. We have to regroup. We can’t relax."

"They played very well," Noah said. "They were very aggressive. They played very physical. They beat us in every aspect of the game. But we feel like we're capable of playing a lot better and we're very excited at the opportunity of playing Game 3 at home."

Game 3 takes place on Friday night with a 7 p.m. tip-off time.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

After shocking the Miami Heat in Game 1, the Chicago Bulls found themselves the victim of a 37-point blowout in Game 2 on Wednesday night, 115-78. It was the biggest margin of defeat in a playoff game in the history of the franchise and Miami’s largest margin of victory in the history of their franchise.

Miami came out as the aggressors from the outset and the Bulls were outplayed from the jump ball to the final buzzer. Thankfully, the series is tied 1-1 as the scene shifts to the United Center on Friday for Game 3.

Tom Thibodeau’s teams have always bounced back from embarrassing defeats and expect the third game in the series to be no different.

The Good

There’s not a whole lot of good you can point out when a team loses a game by 37 points. To even put anything in this space would be irresponsible.

The Bad

If there weren’t a subsequent section called ‘The Ugly,’ there would be nothing to place in this space either. Chicago turned the ball over 19 times and Miami turned those giveaways into 28 points. The Heat outscored the Bulls in every quarter of the game, giving up just 15 points after halftime in the third quarter.

The Ugly

No shortage of things to talk about here. The Heat finished +13 in rebound margin in the game, 41-28. Miami was also a +38 in points in the paint scoring, 56-18, and +18 in fast break points, 20-2. No Bulls player scored more than 13 points in the game, and the Heat had six players score in double-digits to the Bulls’ three. The Heat bench outscored the Bulls’, 55-25 and Chicago had two players ejected in Joakim Noah (12 points, six rebounds) and Taj Gibson (eight points, three rebounds). The Bulls also shot 36 percent from the field while allowing the Heat to shoot 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc.

• Schedule: Bulls / Heat Series

The play of Nate Robinson has been what most people bring up when talking about the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs this year. From his heroics in the series against the Brooklyn Nets, to his toughness in Game 1 of the conference semifinals against the Miami Heat, the 5-9 guard has caught the attention of everyone, including LeBron James.

The playoffs have always been about adjustments and it’s the team who makes the best adjustments who usually come out on top in a series. One of the adjustments the Heat will have to make is trying to find a way to slow down Robinson who has been on a tear, and perhaps assigning a four-time league MVP to guard him will do the trick.

LeBron James has been known to guard the best player on the opposing team and shut him down and it appears that in Game 2, Goliath will be looking to keep David in check.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if I matched up with him,” James said to the Chicago Tribune when asked if he would guard Robinson on Wednesday night. “I’ll take the challenge with him.”

Nate Robinson, of course, will be up to the challenge of trying to prove that he can still get his offense no matter who is guarding him, even if that someone just happens to be the best basketball player on the planet right now. That matchup will certainly add to the intrigue of what is already an intense series just one game in.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

It’s no secret that many Bulls fans are still hoping Derrick Rose makes an appearance on the basketball court this season. Part of that hope comes from Rose’s own refusal to rule himself out and the fact that Chicago is matched up with the Miami Heat, the team's chief rival that knocked them out of the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago.

However, logic would suggest that after not playing competitive basketball in over a year, coming back in the second round of the NBA Playoffs against a team trying to repeat as champions doesn’t make good sense from a basketball perspective.

And if D. Rose were to return, the Heat certainly wouldn’t take it easy on him, nor should anyone expect them to.

“If he does [return in the series], we'll try to be as aggressive as we normally are,” Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra said in a recent interview with ESPN.

With the way the Heat swarm on the defensive side of the ball, and without his timing and feel for the game after having to played in over a year – not even Tom Thibodeau’s practices can simulate a real NBA game – Rose would be less than effective in that scenario.

"I'd be surprised [if Derrick Rose plays]," Chris Bosh said. "But that's totally his decision. If he does, we're going to make it tough on him."

The intensity of the playoffs and the way teams compete would make it very difficult for anyone coming off a serious injury, and even more so against a team like the Heat. If D. Rose is out there on the court thinking instead of doing what comes naturally, there is a chance he could get hurt again, despite the opinions of those who feel that being cleared medically by a doctor means the risk of re-injury is minimal.

Basketball is a game of instinct and rhythm. It has it’s own flow. If a player is not in tune with the game, there’s going to be very little chance of being successful playing it, even for someone as talented as Derrick Rose.

If we’re being honest, not many people expected the Bulls to beat the Brooklyn Nets with Luol Deng missing the final two games of their first round series – especially that crucial Game 7 on the road. And almost no one gave Chicago a chance in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat without their All-Star in the mix.

But in both scenarios, the Bulls emerged victorious and Luol Deng was cheering them on from his hospital bed at Rush University Medical Center. Deng received a spinal tap last Wednesday to test for meningitis when the 28-year-old came down with flu-like symptoms that hit a number of members on the team.

After spending a few days in the hospital, Deng was released on Saturday but found himself right back in the emergency room on Sunday after complications from the procedure. But that didn’t stop him from cheering on his teammates both in Game 7 against Brooklyn and in Game 1 against Miami and he used his Instagram to prove it.

He posted a picture of himself in his hospital bed with the caption that read: “So proud of my team man, this bed might be good luck after all. #SeeRed #Holdat”

Bulls fans are happy that Deng finds his hospital bed to be lucky enough to help the team win, but they’d be even happier to see him out of the hospital and back on the court with his squad.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

“He’s got the heart of a lion.” Those were the words Joakim Noah used to describe Nate Robinson who took 10 stitches to the upper lip after being crushed by LeBron James as the two were diving for a loose ball in the second quarter of Monday night’s Game 1 against Miami.

“Being that small, and doing the things that he does, he gives us a lot of confidence. He's a hell of a scorer. He can really put the ball in the hole,” Noah told CSN Chicago.

“It was just a hustle play that went wrong,” Robinson explained. “But you’ve got to play through it. Got 10 stitches, but you’ve just got to continue to fight. You’ve got to muster up enough energy and enough fight to go in there and continue to play as hard as you can and produce for your teammates. They expect you to get stitched up and come back out there continue to battle, and that’s what I did.”

After the collision, Robinson got up bloodied and immediately left the court and returned to the locker room area for treatment. And once he came back into the game, he was a problem the Heat had no answer for. 

“I told Doc, ‘Just hurry up.’ I’m not trying to rush him, but I wanted to get back out there. I think it was tied up at the half when I was getting my stitches and Coach just said, ‘Be ready and come out when you’re ready,’ and I just told him, ‘I’m ready now,’ so he put me back out there and we got the job done.”

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information

You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who thought the Chicago Bulls had a chance to go into American Airlines Arena and steal Game 1 from the Miami Heat in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. But that’s exactly what happened as Chicago took the opening game of the series against Miami on Monday night, 93-86.

After a grueling seven-game series with the Brooklyn Nets that ended on Saturday, the quick turnaround would’ve seemed to put the Bulls at a disadvantage.

But Chicago once again showed the toughness and grit that has been on display all season with this group. No matter how shorthanded or who’s hurt, the never-say-die mentality this squad has adopted now has them up 1-0 on the defending NBA Champions.

The Good

What else can be said about Nate Robinson (27 points, nine assists) this season? He’s stepped up and played well in the absence of Kirk Hinrich and once again he was the catalyst to the Bulls victory, despite requiring 10 stitches in his lip after being squashed by LeBron James as the two dove for a loose ball. Jimmy Butler (21 points, 14 rebounds) did a fantastic job starting for Luol Deng and also guarding LeBron James. The second-year swingman – who has played every single minute of the Bulls' last three games – actually outplayed the league MVP in Game 1 and that’s not something that happens to LeBron often. Joakim Noah (13 points, 11 rebounds) pitched in with a double-double, Marco Belinelli (10 points, seven rebounds) was solid, as was Taj Gibson (12 points) off the bench. Chicago was +14 in rebounds (46-32), +8 in points in the paint (40-32), and +9 in second-chance points. Chicago’s defense also forced Miami into shooting 40 percent from the field and 29 percent from the three-point line in the game. The Bulls also had five players score in double-digits to the Heat’s two.

The Bad

The Heat bench outscored the Bulls 30-16 in Game 1. Of course that’s largely due to the fact that Chicago has two reserves in Robinson and Belinelli currently in the starting lineup. The Bulls also committed 16 turnovers in the game that the Heat turned into 22 points.

The Ugly

Carlos Boozer (six points, seven rebounds) had a forgettable Game 1 as he shot just 3-11 from the field in the contest.

Follow Outside Shot on Twitter (@Outside_Shot) for more Bulls news and information