Chomp, chomp!
The standings say the season is pretty much over, but the Bulls have vowed to keep battling through Game No. 82.
They bounced back from a disappointing loss in Atlanta by holding off the slumping Milwaukee Bucks 114-111 on Saturday at the United Center.
The Bulls placed seven players in double figures, including all five starters. But a couple of performances in particular stood out.
Rookie center Joakim Noah may have delivered his best game as a pro. The Bucks were missing center Andrew Bogut (broken nose) and Noah took advantage of the extra room inside by producing 18 points, 15 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals.
The points and blocks were season-highs for Noah, while the rebounds matched his second-highest total.
Noah spent the previous two days in Atlanta, where his Florida Gators won their second national championship a year ago. But he insisted the memories did not spark Saturday's performance.
"Not at all," Noah said. "I'm somebody who tries to live in the moment and enjoy what's going on right now. Yeah, I'm very happy for what happened before. But at the same time, I have a pretty good life now, too. So I don't really have time to reminisce about all that. I play for the Chicago Bulls now."
Guard Larry Hughes had the other notable outing. After hitting just 3 of 17 shots in the previous two games, Hughes led the Bulls with 19 points against Milwaukee, knocking down 7 of 13 attempts in 32 minutes of action. He banked in his only 3-point basket late in the third quarter.
Since joining the Bulls from Cleveland on Feb. 21, Hughes has shot better than 50 percent from the field in just three of 19 games. His overall shooting percentage with the Bulls is 38.2 percent.
Following Saturday's game, Hughes suggested he'll play better if given consistent court time.
"Playing 30-plus minutes is where I want to be," he said. "That gives me time to get comfortable. It's been a little different sitting out some fourth quarters and coming in and out of the game."
Balancing playing time among the Bulls' five guards has been a difficult proposition for coach Jim Boylan, who often has to search hard for some hot hands when the team is playing poorly.
"It's tough. Obviously, everyone wants to be out there," Hughes added. "We just have to find a formula that's best for this team to win. We have to find some consistency so guys can get comfortable and get in a rhythm."
Before securing their latest win, the Bulls (29-44) experienced another fourth-quarter fade. They led 98-77 a minute into the fourth quarter, then watched the Bucks use a 21-4 run to close within 102-98 with 5:57 remaining.
But Milwaukee (24-48) didn't get any closer until a layin by Michael Redd (33 points) made it 112-109 with 32.7 seconds left. On the Bulls' next possession, Hughes hit 2 free throws to stretch the lead to 5 points and the Bucks' final basket came with 1.7 seconds on the clock.
Theoretically, the Bulls could finish the season with a 10-game winning streak and have a decent shot of making the playoffs. But not only have the Bulls failed to win even three in a row all season, seven of their final nine games are against playoff teams, beginning with Boston at home Tuesday.
"I know we're in a tough situation right here, as far as trying to work our way into the playoff picture," Boylan said. "But we're going to keep fighting, keep battling, and that's what we asked our guys to do right to the bitter end."