Bulls put focus on second-half run
Last Saturday in Utah, coach Jim Boylan warned that the injured Bulls would have to earn their way back into the lineup.
Apparently, Kirk Hinrich didn't get that accomplished in Tuesday's loss to New Orleans.
Back after missing three games with bruised ribs, Hinrich had 15 points and 4 assists in 26 minutes, compared to 5 points and 5 assists by starter Chris Duhon in 31 minutes.
But Boylan said he likely will use Hinrich off the bench again tonight when the Bulls celebrate the arrival of the all-star break by hosting Miami, which has lost 23 of its last 24 games.
"We're a struggling team right now," Boylan said Wednesday at the Berto Center. "We're not a championship-caliber team. We don't have first-team NBA all-stars, guys who have won championships before. So that's the reason why I would do something like that.
"I think that most teams in the NBA, no matter who you are, if you're out for an extended period of time, most coaches don't throw you back in the starting lineup."
Boylan is well aware that Ben Wallace won a championship in Detroit, but he was talking about working the injured Bulls -- Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng -- back into the rotation.
The "earn your way back" policy also is a nod to the fact that the Bulls played fairly well in three games last week without their big three. The team faces an adjustment period when those three players return but doesn't have much room for error because of the 20-31 record.
"Everyone has to accept their role on the team and in order for us to be good and to be able to make a move right here, everyone has to buy in," Boylan said. "There can be no separate agendas. Everyone has to sacrifice, whatever way that is.
"It could be minutes. It could be starting positions. Whatever it is, everyone has to accept what we need to do in order to be successful. If we can get that compliance from everybody, then I say we have a chance (to make a playoff run). If we don't get that compliance from people, then it will be more difficult."
Hinrich shrugged off the idea of coming off the bench for a second time tonight. He pointed out that the Bulls have a recent history of playing well after the all-star break (59-33 the past three seasons) and expressed a willingness to do whatever is needed to make it happen again.
"Me personally, I just feel like we need to do a better job executing our defensive game plan, stepping up our level of play and making plays down the stretch," Hinrich said. "That's been a big problem for us. When the intensity of the game picks up a little bit, I think we just haven't been able to pick our game up.
"We're not that far out of it. Basically, our focus is getting into the playoffs. If we play better and get into the playoffs, who knows what can happen?"
Hinrich said his bruised ribs still are sore to the touch, but he held up well Tuesday, when he scored 10 of his 15 points in the first quarter against the Hornets.
The Bulls are starting to fall back a little in the race for the bottom playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. When they take the floor tonight, it will be the 10th time in the last 12 games playing without their top two scorers, Gordon and Deng.
"It's tough," Boylan said. "You lose your continuity as an offense. It puts a heavy burden on the replacements. There's no pity from any other team you're playing against.
"Hopefully we can see a little light at the end of the tunnel here and get some guys back against New Jersey (Wednesday after the break)."