Fred Hoiberg Left Puzzled By Bulls' Effort With Playoff Berth In Limbo

By Cody Westerlund--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Iowa State basketball team attended the Bulls-Knicks game at the United Center on Wednesday night, happy to show support for former coach Fred Hoiberg two nights before the Cyclones were to take the same floor for their Sweet 16 contest.

What the Cyclones were treated to was the full Bulls experience, as the team that rookie NBA coach Hoiberg currently can't get to continued to befuddle in what he admitted hours earlier was a "trying" season. Displaying little investment at the defensive end, Chicago suffered a 115-107 loss to the visiting New York Knicks, who entered the night 15 games below .500 and reeling of late.

The Knicks shot a blistering 51.7 percent, led by rookie big man Kristaps Porzingis' 29 points, as the Bulls' defensive rotations were out of sorts all evening and they admitted the needed effort didn't show up until the fourth quarter.

"I don't get it with this amount of time left to come out with that type of energy," Hoiberg said, well aware of his team's precarious position in the playoff race.

Just two nights after the Bulls escaped with a fourth-quarter rally against the Kings and Hoiberg emphasized they couldn't afford any more subpar games down the stretch, Chicago submitted a dud.

At this point, there's little left for Hoiberg to say. In pregame interviews, he expressed optimism in the team's recent play that was marked by a three-game winning streak, and the Bulls started the desired lineup of Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Mike Dunleavy, Taj Gibson and Pau Gasol for just the third time all season Wednesday.

It didn't matter, as season-long problems plagued them again. A season that began following a coaching change designed to get the Bulls over the LeBron James hurdle and championship hump now teeters on brink just for the humbling quest of a playoff berth. Coupled with the Pistons' win against the Magic on Wednesday evening, Chicago (36-34) now sits a game behind Detroit (38-34) in the chase for the East's final playoff spot.

"We like difficult tasks like this," forward Taj Gibson said, with a slight chuckle.

Of real concern too for the Bulls is the recent play of All-Star wing Butler, who in his six games since returning from a left knee injury has struggled -- mightily by his lofty standards -- averaging 13.8 points on 36.3 percent shooting. Though Hoiberg and Butler maintain the latter's knee is fine, he's not as engaged as he's usually been in a season in which he's averaging 21.5 points.

On Wednesday, Butler had just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting.

"When one of your so-called best players is not doing what he's supposed to do, that's what's going to happen," Butler said, referring to himself. "You see the way I've been playing lately. It's saddening. That's what you call it – it's piss poor, it's terrible. My teammates won't say it, my coaches won't say it, I'm a realist – if I continue to play this way, I'm hurting this team."

When pressed, Butler denied any physical limitations.

"No," Butler said. "That's not an excuse. I don't know what it is, but it has nothing to do with the knee. My body's fine.

"Right now, it's mentally. The ball's not going in. I let that affect me on both ends of the floor. It better turn around quick, because I want to help this team get to the playoffs."

With their star struggling, their coach drawing a blank on answers and effort that's still a question mark from night to night, the arrow's pointing down on the Bulls' playoff hopes with 12 games remaining. In what's been a lost season, the last three weeks offer a chance to salvage a bit of basketball dignity.

It's anyone's guess, coach's included, how much that really matters to the Bulls.

"I told them, you got two choices now," Hoiberg said. "One's to tuck your tail between your legs and walk out of here with your head down or toughen up, suck it up and go find a way to get a win tomorrow and finish this thing out the right way."

Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for CBSChicago.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.