Bulls lose track of defense in loss

Just because the Bulls have found their stride offensively doesn't mean they can give up on defense.

The Bulls ran their 100-point streak to 10 games, but the defense was terrible in a 120-105 loss at Atlanta on Saturday. The defeat ended the Bulls' six-game win streak.

It seems like the Bulls should have learned this lesson already. Over the past two weeks, they appeared to figure out the best way to find success. But they're just 6-8 on the road and the Hawks were ready for this one.

“From the way they jumped on us, you could tell they wanted this game,” Taj Gibson said after the game, according to bulls.com. “They rocked us right away. Hit us with a right-hand hook, stumbled us. We didn't respond. They just wanted it more than us.”

The Bulls (22-13) fell behind 23-10 at the start of the game and never fully recovered. Atlanta boosted the lead to 19 points in the second quarter. The Bulls turned it up in the third and pulled within 3 points a few times, but didn't have enough energy to complete the comeback.

Hawks center Al Horford probably had his best game ever against the Bulls, finishing with 33 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks. Atlanta's other big man, Paul Millsap, added 18 points. The Hawks got out on the break and piled up an impressive 33 assists.

“Like coach said, we've got a bull's-eye on our back,” Gibson said. “People starting to see us come around, so we need to adjust. The positive is we got humbled. One thing is when you get humbled, you go back to the drawing board. You go back to the fight.”

Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with 27 points, while Nikola Mirotic added 24 and Derrick Rose scored 17.

“We were trying to play catch-up the entire game,” Rose told reporters after the game. “Tonight we didn't have that energy on the defensive side of the ball.”

Before the game, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg talked about the improving health of center Joakim Noah, who has been out since Dec. 21 with a left shoulder sprain. Hoiberg is hoping Noah might be able to play Monday when the Bulls host Washington.

“He's doing some activity today,” Hoiberg said. “We'll get him doing some live stuff (Sunday). Hopefully he'll get through a full practice. That's the biggest thing with him right now, just getting through a live practice. Hopefully we'll get him back Monday.”

Hoiberg has already said he doesn't plan to change the starting lineup when Noah returns, so expect the Bulls to continue to use the tall front line of Mirotic, Gibson and Pau Gasol. Noah will continue to come off the bench and rookie Bobby Portis will stay in the rotation.

“We can't go away from what we've done,” Hoiberg said. “We've been much better offensively, much more efficient offensively, we have to keep that going. I also think Jo will help with that and hopefully even step it up a notch.”

Hoiberg said forward Mike Dunleavy, who had back surgery before training camp, isn't likely to return to game action until next month.

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