Rose seeing red after Bulls' latest loss

Throughout their up-and-down season, the Bulls could always count on finding comfort in a hostile road arena.

Not any more. Their road record dropped to 15-6 with Monday's 108-94 loss to Cleveland at Quicken Loan Arena.

The final score doesn't do this game justice. The Bulls' first half performance was a low point, even by standards of their recent slump, which has now reached 6 losses in eight games.

"We've got to decide when enough is enough," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after the game. "We've got to get better. It's really that simple. The way we're playing is not acceptable, so we have to change it."

Heading into this game, the Cavaliers ranked 29th - ahead of Minnesota - in opponents' field-goal percentage. So naturally, the Bulls stood up to this porous defense by shooting 29.8 percent from the field in the first half.

Pau Gasol was 2-for-11 before halftime, Derrick Rose 1-for-9, Jimmy Butler 2-for-8, Kirk Hinrich 0-for-4. That's four starters shooting a combined 15.6 percent.

When they weren't bricking shots, the Bulls watched Cleveland rip down rebounds. The Cavs finished with a 54-40 rebounding advantage, including 20-11 on the offensive end.

After the game, Rose was fed up with his team's performance.

"We've got to give a better effort. It seems like we're not even competing," Rose said in the locker room, according to espn.com. "It's irritating. We give up so many easy baskets, man. Over time, it gets to you.

"My biggest thing is competing. When you don't have that edge, you're going to keep getting your (butt) whupped. ... Basketball should be fun. It seems like when we're out there, we're overthinking."

Rose hit some 3-pointers in the second half to finish with 18 points. Butler was the team's top scorer with 20. Trailing 54-39 at halftime, the Bulls quickly stretched the deficit to 23 points early in the third quarter and never got back in it.

"Everybody has to be on the same page and until then, we're going continue to get our (butt) kicked," Rose said. "It's just the whole team. We're not communicating whole we're on the floor to one another. Everybody's quiet. Until then, we're going to get the same results."

When it comes to turning around a struggling team, the Bulls could look to Cleveland for inspiration. The Cavs won their third straight on Monday. Before the winning streak, they dropped nine of 10 games, but most of the losses came while LeBron James took two weeks off to rest knee and back injuries.

James led Cleveland with 26 points on Monday. J.R. Smith added 20 points, Kyrie Irving scored 18 and Kevin Love 16.

This was the first time James played with Smith and fellow newcomer Timofey Mozgov at Quicken Loans Arena. Mozgov, the former Denver center, looked like a nice acquisition against the Bulls, producing 15 points and 15 rebounds.

The Bulls are hoping the return of their missing center might turn things around. Joakim Noah missed his third game with a right ankle injury, but could return soon. The Bulls have two days off before hosting San Antonio on Thursday.

"He's making progress," Thibodeau told reporters at Monday's shootaround. "So we'll see where he is when we get back."

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