Bulls try to fix problems

For 10 weeks, the Chicago Bulls haven't been able to figure out a way to snap out of their 14-24 skid, which began Jan. 9 with a loss to Atlanta.

Sunday's team meeting might have been the last chance to get things right before the Bulls fall hopelessly out of playoff contention.

"That's what you hope those things produce when you go in there and you sit and you air things out a little bit," coach Fred Hoiberg said before Monday's game. "Some things were said. I don't think anybody walked out of there with their feelings hurt, but something that had to take place after the three-game slide to get us back on track with 10 games to go.

"It's now or never. We've got our backs against the wall. We've got to come out; it starts tonight and hopefully we addressed some issues yesterday."

The strategic emphasis was on getting off to a good start in the first quarter and getting back in transition. Hoiberg said the Bulls' defensive problems varied during the losing streak.

"You look at the New York game (last Thursday), they basically gave the ball to their guys at the elbow and cleared everybody out of the way, went 1-on-1 and said, 'Here you go, guard it.' And we didn't," Hoiberg said.

"A couple times when we had to go to rotations with the double-teams, we had a couple good rotations, then we had a couple where we flat-out didn't rotate."

Hinrich returns:

The Bulls played a Kirk Hinrich tribute video during a first-quarter timeout. It had been updated since 2010, when Hinrich left the first time.

Now in his second stint with Atlanta after two turns with the Bulls, Hinrich ranks third in Bulls history in games played at 748, behind Michael Jordan (930) and Scottie Pippen (856). He's the Bulls' franchise leader in 3-point field goals.

Hinrich hasn't played much since being traded to the Hawks on Feb. 18. He didn't play at all in the previous two games or in the first half Monday against the Bulls.

Moore getting closer:

The Bulls are hoping to get guard E'Twaun Moore back from a hamstring injury by the end of the week. He missed his sixth straight game Monday.

"He's definitely been making progress," coach Fred Hoiberg said before the game. "He participated in a portion of practice (Sunday), went through the walk-through today, got some shots up. Just not quite ready yet but hopefully by the end of the week, we'll have him back."

Bull horns:

Chance The Rapper took the court before Monday's game to count down the lights out before introductions. … Pau Gasol's 12 first-quarter points were more than he scored in his previous two games combined. … The Bulls averaged 19.7 turnovers in their first three games against Atlanta this season.