Pistons, Bulls desperately seeking a victory
CHICAGO -- When it comes to their fading postseason chances, the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls are each fighting a similar foe.
Time.
As the regular season draws closer to its conclusion, the Pistons and Bulls -- who square off Wednesday night at the United Center -- are out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
But at a time when both teams have little room for error, the Pistons and Bulls each keep finding ways to impede their own progress. The Bulls, who are 2-8 in their past 10 games, continued to lose ground Tuesday night when they blew a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead in a 122-120 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors.
The Pistons, meanwhile, saw their fourth-quarter rally fall short against the Brooklyn Nets in a 98-96 loss.
"It's frustrating -- everybody in this locker room is frustrated," Detroit forward Tobias Harris said afterward. "It's a game we came in here expecting to win. We knew (the Nets were) like a wild card team. You have to give them credit, but at the same time, we needed to win. They played like they needed this win more than us."
The Pistons (34-37) fell a game behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the final playoff spot. With 11 games remaining, the Pistons know they can't afford to keep losing ground, which makes Wednesday's game against a fellow losing team another must-win for Detroit.
But as much as the Pistons need to move past Tuesday's loss, coach Stan Van Gundy senses his team is struggling to maintain the mentality it needs to keep fighting.
"We didn't deserve to win tonight, (the Nets) did deserve to win tonight," Van Gundy said. "The result is probably what it deserved to be. Look, our ball movement is sporadic at best. Our offensive energy is not good."
The Pistons face a Bulls team struggling just as much.
Chicago (33-38) continued its free fall despite outplaying the Raptors for much of a game it seemed the Bulls would collect their second straight victory. But the Bulls allowed 34 points in the fourth quarter when they watched a 15-point lead disappear over the final 8 1/2 minutes.
The loss not only snapped Chicago's 11-game winning streak against the Raptors, but was the latest chapter in what's been a frustration-filled season for a team hoping to avoid missing the playoffs for a second straight season.
Now against the Pistons -- who are a full game ahead of Chicago in the playoff chase -- the Bulls continue to search for answers as they look to make up ground when time isn't on their side.
Chicago forward Jimmy Butler, for one, appears tired of making excuses.
"I mean, we've got another one (Wednesday night)...yada, yada, yada," Butler told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Be better, yada, yada, yada....same thing I always say."
Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg was a little more to the point.
"We have to put it behind us and find a way to bounce back with a big effort," Hoiberg said.
The Bulls will be without starting center Robin Lopez, who was ejected from Tuesday night's game after getting into a fight with Toronto's Serge Ibaka. Lopez, who exchanged punches with Ibaka in the melee, joined Ibaka in being suspended one game by the NBA on Wednesday.
The Bulls may be without reserve center Cristiano Felicio, who landed hard after having a dunk attempt blocked. Hoiberg said after Tuesday's game that Felicio was already experiencing soreness.
Butler said it's just another hill the Bulls will have to climb.
"I mean, obviously, (Lopez) is going to be suspended -- we know that," Butler said, according to the Sun-Times. "We're going to miss that guy, but what's new? Next man up, right?"