The Chicago Bulls are fighting for their playoff lives as they look to avoid missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2007-08. A 115-107 loss to the lowly New York Knicks on Wednesday night at home didn't help their cause.
Head coach Fred Hoiberg's squad trailed by as many as 22 points, clawing its way back in the fourth quarter before eventually losing by eight. All-Star Jimmy Butler was the one Bull whose poor performance stuck out like a sore thumb, scoring seven points on 3-of-11 shooting in 35 minutes of action.
After the game, Butler placed the blame of the defeat squarely on his shoulders.
"My teammates won't say it. My coaches won't say it. But if I continue to play like this, I'm hurting this team," Butler said, according to the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson. "Ain't nothing wrong with me physically. Right now, it's mentally. The ball's not going in. I let that affect me on both ends."
After sitting 15 of 17 games with a knee injury (Feb. 3-March 11), Butler is averaging just 13.8 points on 36.4 percent shooting, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in six appearances since then.
Butler: "My team needs me to get into the playoffs."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 14, 2016
With the Detroit Pistons defeating the Orlando Magic, the Bulls now find themselves holding down sole possession of the No. 9 seed with a 36-34 record - one game back of Detroit for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Bulls will be looking for redemption on Thursday when they make the trip to The Big Apple to take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden - the first of 12 remaining games on the schedule, seven of which come against winning teams.
