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Blame for Chicago Bulls' inconsistent start not soley Hoiberg's fault

On Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers, Derrick Rose produced no points and no assists in the first half, took off his protective face mask and went 4-for-7 from the field in the fourth quarter, helping push the Chicago Bulls to an 83-80 victory.

On Wednesday in Boston, Jimmy Butler scored a career-high 36 points, dominating a matchup with former Marquette teammate Jae Crowder. Against the Clippers a night later, Butler scored 14 points and hit 4 of 14 shots.

While it's easy to place blame for the Bulls' sluggish start on new coach Fred Hoiberg, he is dealing with maddeningly inconsistent players.

Keep in mind, the Bulls' start isn't even that bad. They are 12-8, one loss from the top spot in the surprisingly competitive East, with five losses in overtime or by 6 points or less.

In Tom Thibodeau's first season, the Bulls started 9-8. That was mostly without an injured Carlos Boozer, but with a peak-level Rose. The initial Thibs team of 2010-11 went on a seven-game win streak in December and rolled to 62 victories.

The win over the Clippers snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bulls and all three defeats could easily have gone the other way.

"We've just got to find a way to put together a consistent 48 minutes," Hoiberg said Thursday. "It's what coaching is all about. You've got to find a way to get through these tough times."

Hoiberg is trying to experiment with different combinations. In the last two games, he started Taj Gibson at power forward and moved Nikola Mirotic to the bench. Against the Clippers, Hoiberg brought guard Aaron Brooks out of mothballs - OK, he sat for three games - and didn't use one of his season-long favorites, E'Twaun Moore.

Starting Gibson has brought inconclusive results. Playing Brooks (10 points) seemed to pay off Thursday.

But the way the Bulls have gone this season, there has not been a correct answer from one game to the next. Rose and Butler aren't even the most inconsistent performers.

Mirotic can look like one of the league's brightest young stars one night. Other times, he can't hit a thing and refuses to stop shooting.

Doug McDermott's shot was so smooth and accurate in the last week, he appeared ready to challenge Steph Curry to a game of HORSE. Then McDermott went 4-for-16 from the field in the last two games, with a goose egg against the Clips.

Some Bulls fans are probably ready to throw in the towel on Tony Snell. But would it surprise you to know he ranks seventh in the NBA in 3-point percentage at .448? That's just three slots below McDermott and four behind Curry.

Joakim Noah averaged double figures for five straight seasons. This year, he has yet to score in double figures and posted no points seven times.

So it's easy to see why the Bulls are struggling. With a new offense, deep roster and no dominant player, they're not sure where to find scoring from quarter to quarter, let alone game to game.

An experienced squad like San Antonio has learned to thrive using five equal pieces. Doing that takes chemistry and confidence in each other. The Bulls aren't going to get to that point in 20 games.

Pau Gasol has been reasonably consistent and is averaging 20.2 points over the last five games. One of the Bulls' biggest issues, though, has been fourth quarter scoring and it is often tough to go inside at crunchtime since opponents will be quick to double-team. Butler has had some good fourth quarters, but he's still a work in progress with late-game scoring.

The Bulls shouldn't rely on a single go-to scorer late in the fourth quarter, but a healthier Rose would certainly help the cause. Even while still suffering from blurry vision, Rose has shown some positive signs. Over the last four games, he's averaged 14 points and shot a respectable 44 percent from the field.

"My legs are there," Rose said after Thursday's game. "It's just all about putting your game back together."

Bulls scouting report

Bulls vs. New Orleans Pelicans at the United Center, 7 p.m. Friday.

TV: WGN

Radio: ESPN 1000-AM

Update: The Pelicans were supposed to be one of the NBA's up-and-coming teams, but have struggled this season, with a 5-16 record heading into Friday's home game against Washington. Worth noting is that two key players, guards Tyreke Evans and Norris Cole, recently returned from injuries. PF Anthony Davis is a long way from MVP contention, but is still averaging 23.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. SF Ryan Anderson (18.0 ppg) and SG Eric Gordon (16.1 ppg) are the next highest scorers. New Orleans is giving up the most points in the NBA, 109.1 per game.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center on Monday, 7 p.m.

- Mike McGraw

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