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CHICAGO -- He wasn't exactly running through a dark forest without a flashlight, but Malcolm Thomas he did have to feel his way around Tuesday night.

While still trying to learn the Chicago Bulls' system, Thomas was pressed into duty for his first extended minutes against the Toronto Raptors and offered reasons to be intrigued.

The San Diego State product, who was signed for the remainder of the season after recently completing two 10-day contracts, gave 26 active minutes after playing just one minute total in his previous 10 games with the Bulls.

"He brings a lot of energy," head coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He doesn't know our system yet, but with his game, he is giving us more good than bad. He is still finding his way. He doesn't know what we are trying to do. He can overcome things because of his activity. He put some juice in this game when he came in."

It wasn't enough juice to fully overcome a slugging start as the Bulls rallied but fell 101-98 to the Raptors.

With a small window of time before the playoffs begin it seemed an overt decision by the coaching staff to see what they had in the 24-year-old Missouri native. And with Joakim Noah's status in question for the remainder of the regular season because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, not to mention other injuries, finding somebody to absorb minutes is a necessity.

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CHICAGO -- Let's take a quick look at how the Toronto Raptors earned a 101-98 win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night at the United Center.

How it happened: DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 20 points while Rudy Gay added 19 points in a wall-to-wall Raptors win that the Bulls tried to steal at the end. Jimmy Butler had one of the best games of his career, playing all 48 minutes while scoring a career-high 28 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out two assists. Carlos Boozer chipped in with 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. The Raptors had their way with a Bulls team playing without Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson and Luol Deng.

What it means: This is the way Bulls basketball is going to continue to look without so many key pieces on the floor. Butler was very good and played throughout the night but without all those important pieces the Bulls can't find a way to score. There's not enough offense to go around for a team that struggled to score even when everybody was healthy. The reality for the Bulls is that they are too banged up right now to feel solid about their chances in any game, especially when they allow a bad team like the Raptors to shoot 51 percent from the field.

Hits: Playing his first meaningful minutes as a Bulls, Malcolm Thomas had six points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes.

Misses: Nate Robinson and Boozer combined to go just 14-for-42 from the field.

Stat of the night: Rip Hamilton actually played 15 minutes after missing the last 19 games because of a lower back injury.

What's next: The Bulls face off against the New York Knicks, who have won 13 straight, on Thursday night.

CHICAGO -- Unlike his abrupt departure from the Chicago Bulls with a lower back strain in late February, Richard Hamilton's return Tuesday flew quietly under the radar.

He had a long and tricky recovery the last month and a half, saying that not only did an MRI show that he had a bulging disc in his lower back, but he also claimed that he "tore something in there."

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CHICAGO -- After missing the past 19 games because of a lower back injury, veteran shooting guard Rip Hamilton will make his return to the lineup against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.

"Yeah, we're going to play him tonight," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game. "He's going to have a chance to play some minutes. Not a lot. He's come along. He's feeling better so we'll see where he is.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau was adamant Tuesday, especially in the case of injured point guard Derrick Rose, that the inmates are not running the asylum.

Not Rose, or any of the other injured Bulls players are alone in calling the shots when it comes to their return from injuries, Thibodeau suggested.

Rose has been out for just shy of a year with a torn ACL in his left knee that was surgically repaired. While many athletes can typically return within a year of an ACL tear, Rose still has not played, although he has not ruled out the chance of playing before the playoff-bound Bulls end their season.

ESPNChicago.com reported in early March that Rose had been cleared to play, according to a team source, but that Rose was still dealing with the psychological effects of the injury.

Thibodeau moved Tuesday to say that Rose isn't alone in holding things back and that the entire organization is on the same page when it comes to the former MVP's rehabilitation and potential return.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- While Derrick Rose's absence and the team's rash of injuries have dominated the story lines for the Chicago Bulls this season, not all news has been bad.

Carlos Boozer has shown some much-needed durability while also being productive, while Jimmy Butler has raised his profile mightily with extended playing time afforded by the injuries to others. Both have been keys in assisting a hobbled club into the playoffs.

"I don't try to think about it, I just try to play incredibly hard every possession on the offensive end and the defensive end," Butler said. "Just play my role but expand it a little bit more. I feel like even though I'm starting you still have to be that energy guy and guard and hit an open shot. I feel like that's my role for this team if it's 20 minutes or 40 minutes."

Way back in November, Butler played over 22 minutes in a game just twice. In the month of December he played 30 minutes twice. By January, injuries allowed him to play 40 minutes in five consecutive games, with the Bulls winning four of them.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The setback Joakim Noah suffered with plantar fasciitis in his right foot could leave the Chicago Bulls big man out for the rest of the regular season, while potentially jeopardizing the All-Star's playing time in the playoffs.

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Derrick Rose hasn't played a minute of game action this season, but his jersey remains one of the NBA's top sellers.

The Chicago Bulls star, who is still recovering from knee surgery in May 2012, had the fifth-best selling jersey at NBAStore.com and the NBA Store in New York from April 2012 to Nov. 26, the league announced on Tuesday. Rose trailed top seller Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks, LeBron James of the Miami Heat, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Coming off an MVP season in 2010-11, Rose had the league's top-selling jersey last year and was second behind Bryant in international jersey sales for the 2011-12 season.

The Bulls also ranked fifth in team merchandise sales this season.

Marc Stein has the Chicago Bulls in the No. 13 slot in this week's ESPN Power Rankings -- one spot down from last week.

"Leaning strongly toward proclaiming that halting Miami's 27-game win streak WAS Da Bulls' championship in 2012-13. Their road mojo is gone, presumably because someone else key besides D-Rose always seems to be sitting, so how can you pick this Chicago against Brooklyn or Indy in Round 1?"

I agree and disagree with Marc here. First, the Bulls win over the Heat was their championship this season since this team isn't going to win a title with all its injury problems. But I don't believe it's tough to pick the Bulls to advance into the second round, especially if they face the Nets in Round 1. The Bulls beat the Nets last week with basically seven guys, none of who were named Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah or Taj Gibson. Imagine what they could do if any one of them returns before the playoffs…

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Monday that All-Star center Joakim Noah suffered "a little bit of a setback" after returning from an eight-game layoff because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- With so many injuries, the Chicago Bulls can't be picky these days when it comes to a starting lineup, although it appears they have eliminated one guard combination.

After using a starting guard combination of Nate Robinson and Kirk Hinrich in Sunday's defeat at Detroit, coach Tom Thibodeau was asked if he liked what he saw from the duo. Thibodeau paused.

"Uh … no; no I didn't," he said. "Because it changed what we did when we subbed. Actually they started fine. The first quarter was pretty good until we broke the lineup. But then that's when everything changed. That's what I didn't like.

"I thought we had a pretty good rhythm the way we were before that. Because Nate, the way it was structured before, we took advantage of Nate's scoring. When Kirk came back in Nate could go to the 2 (guard). It's something we'll look at."

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah talks like a frustrated player.

After returning from an eight-game absence due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Noah’s minutes were limited to just over 21 in the Bulls’ 99-85 loss to the Detroit Pistons Sunday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

“It’s hard not playing,” Noah said after the game. “This is the position I’ve been given right now. It’s not a time to complain. It is what it is and you just have fight through it as much as you can. You want to play. I can’t right now. You have to do what’s right and get ready for the playoffs. You have to look at the bigger picture.”

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Here’s a quick look at how the Chicago Bulls lost to the Detroit Pistons, 99-85, Sunday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

How it happened: The Bulls seemed like a tired bunch despite having the previous night off, unlike the Pistons, who lost in Minnesota on Saturday. Chicago got a game-high 21 points from Carlos Boozer while Nate Robinson tossed in 18. Detroit was deadly from behind the 3-point line, nailing 9-of-18 attempts, while Chicago was 3-for-15 from behind the arc.

What it means: With all eight playoff berths clinched in the Eastern Conference it’s all about seeding now for the Bulls, who had their two-game win streak snapped. With six games left in the regular season, they’re just a game ahead of sixth-seeded Atlanta and now two games behind Brooklyn for the fourth seed.

Hits: Joakim Noah, who returned to the Bulls’ lineup after an eight-game absence due to plantar fasciitis, was 4-for-4 shooting from the field in 21:25 of playing time. He was 5-of-8 from the free-throw line to finish with 13 points. Noah also grabbed seven rebounds, had three assists and blocked one shot.

Misses: Chicago had won 18 in a row against the Pistons before Sunday’s loss.

Stat of the night: As a team, the Bulls came into Sunday’s game shooting 77 percent from the free-throw line. Against the Pistons they were just 64 percent from the line.

What’s next: The Bulls return to action Tuesday at home against the Toronto Raptors.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Just when the Chicago Bulls get a pair of injured players back, another one gets sidelined.

The Bulls will be without forward Luol Deng for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons.

“My right hip is just a little sore,” Deng said before the game. “It’s nothing serious, just precautionary.”

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Derrick Rose isn't ready to give up on the idea of playing this season just yet.

Rose left open the possibility that he would return when asked if he wouldn't play this season.

"Oh no," Rose said Sunday before the Chicago Bulls' shootaround. "I'm keeping it open."

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