
Bulls forward Jimmy Butler and guard Dwyane Wade talk during the Bulls' 119-114 loss to the Hawks on January 24th.
CHICAGO – In a season of not-so-great moments with a not-so-great team, Wednesday night may have been the low point.
Sitting with a ten-point lead with just over three minutes to go against the Hawks at the United Center, the Bulls completely collapsed.
They were outscored 12-0 two minutes and 19-4 to end the game as a sure victory turned into their 24th defeat on the season.
For all the ups and downs of this season, this one might have been the worst. With just under a minute left their appeared to be some confusion between head coach Fred Hoiberg and Jimmy Butler on a timeout call. Then Nikola Mirotic, not Butler (40 points) or Dwyane Wade (33 points) were taking critical shots in the final minute to tie or take the lead.
Perhaps that’s why both of the Bulls’ stars went off when they met with reporters in the locker room after the game.
“I wish I could say that everyone in here is going to go home and not eat tonight. I can’t say that. I don’t know that they care enough,” said Wade to the Chicago Tribune.“Games are supposed to hurt. You’re not supposed to sleep. You’re not supposed to want to talk to anybody. I don’t know if that is in guys in this locker room.”
Butler echoed similar sentiments to reporter K.C. Johnson and other assembled media: “If you don’t come in this (expletive) pissed off after you lose any game, something is wrong.”
The talk continued after the game on social media with Wade posting this to his Twitter account.
Bulls guard Jerian Grant, who was not specifically called out by Butler or Wade, took to Twitter to defend his effort after the game.
Around 5 PM on Thursday, Rajon Rondo wrote this on Instagram.