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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving of Cleveland and Knicks star Jeremy Lin are among 13 NBA players chosen to scrimmage against the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team in July.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The skies were blue, sun shining, temperature perfect and the day miserable in Chicago, Friday. At least for Chicago Bulls fans who, though not exactly optimistic about the team's playoff chances after Derrick Rose tore his ACL two weeks ago, were left with an aching void after the Bulls were eliminated in the first round by eighth-seed Philadelphia.

The only thing left now, other than the typically frustrating rhythms of Cubs and Sox baseball and football in shorts, is to dwell on the what if's and what-will-be's.

Here are 10 burning Bulls thoughts sure to bug us all summer:

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PHILADELPHIA -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, who has sat out the past two games with a sprained ankle, will be a game-time decision, and forward Taj Gibson says he will play against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6 on Thursday night.

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CHICAGO -- For a while there, the score and the game resembled something from another time, like perhaps the 1950s and a scene out of "Hoosiers." All that was lacking was a collision with a trophy case and someone running the picket fence.

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CHICAGO -- With the Chicago Bulls on the brink of a season-ending collapse, Luol Deng stepped up and showed he has more than enough ligaments to shoot with.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Tom Thibodeau Coaching Robot’s mantra, “We’ve got more than enough to win with,” you probably didn’t laugh at that joke. If you’re sick of hearing Thibodeau say those words after the soul-crushing loss of Derrick Rose and a mind-numbing three-game losing streak, you probably winced at it.

But ThibsBot doesn't lie. Or if he does, he believes it. The losing streak is over and despite another late Ankle Moment, the half-dead Bulls are still alive in their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers after a non-artful 77-69 win at the United Center on Tuesday night.

Just when everyone had finished their obituaries.

Deng, hampered for more than half of the season with a torn ligament in his left hand, has battled through pain to try and erase any lingering, if not misguided, notion that he’s a soft player. But it wasn't just about Deng's reputation. He wanted to play, rather than get surgery, because Deng knew this was going to be a special season. And it almost was. Now the O'Brien Trophy is out of reach, but the Bulls want to keep playing out of stubborn pride. Forget the beach, give them Philly and then Boston or Atlanta.

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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bulls' injury problems continued Tuesday night when Taj Gibson injured his right ankle with 2:06 left in the third quarter in Game 5 of the team''s first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers may have saved themselves from NBA playoff embarrassment with their third-quarter performance on Tuesday.

The two teams had scored a total of 61 points after one half Tuesday and appeared headed toward the NBA record for fewest total points scored in a playoff game. The Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics set the record of 130 points in 2002.

The Bulls and 76ers helped their chances of avoiding that by showing some offensive life in the third quarter. The two teams combined for 44 points in the quarter and have 105 points for the game. The Bulls led 57-48 heading into the fourth quarter.

The 76ers aren’t also likely to set the record for least points in a playoff game by a single team. The record is owned by the Utah Jazz which scored 54 points in a loss to the Bulls on June 7, 1998.

As if the Bulls needed more bad news, Taj Gibson left with an ankle injury in the third quarter. The Bulls are already playing without Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah due to injuries.

After struggling in the first half, Carlos Boozer scored 12 points in the third quarter and has a game-high 17 points. Luol Deng also continued to lead the way. He scored four more points in the quarter and has 15.

The 76ers’ offensive woes have been across the board. Jrue Holiday is shooting 3-of-13 through three quarters, and Andre Iguodala is 4-of-14 for a team-high nine points. The team was 20-of-58 from the field.

CHICAGO -- Joakim Noah was speechless.

He knew the questions were coming. He knew what had happened. He just wasn't sure what he wanted to come out of his mouth.

Still in shock with what had just happened to Derrick Rose, Noah sat in front of his locker with the same dazed look that all of his teammates had.

"He's more than just a basketball player to me," Noah said, minutes after watching his friend and teammate crumple to the ground as his knee gave out. "I consider Derrick like a little brother and to see him hurting is never good. But I know he's a warrior and I know he's going to get back as soon as he can."

In almost three years on the Bulls' beat, this was, understandably, the most disconsolate locker room I've ever seen. Players knew how hard Rose had worked to get back in the lineup. After he'd missed 27 games already this season, they knew how badly he wanted to stay on the floor. Now they know they'll have to play without him for a long time. In talking and listening to them, it was if they knew bad news was coming before word of the torn ACL actually became official.

"I was like, 'Oh, here we go again,'" Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. "It's been up and down all year long. And it sucks because he was just getting back. He was looking good, looking good in practice [Friday] and he had such a good game, defensively and offensively. It's tough to lose your leader."

Some of Rose's teammates had already started praying for him after the game, but the tension and sadness in the locker room were palpable. Just like fans, they feared the worst. And now the worst has become official.

"It's tough," Bulls forward Carlos Boozer said. "It seems like he just can't catch a break. We're all praying for him, hoping it's not that bad. It seemed pretty bad, but we're hoping for the best in this situation. I just feel for him, man. He really can't catch a break this season."

The agony for the Bulls is that the injury overshadowed a great Game 1 performance. The team played very well throughout most of the day, but once Rose went down nothing else mattered. Misery and disbelief emanated from all corners. The Bulls knew there was nothing they could do to help their fallen leader. Now they must find a way to cope without him.

10: The resurgence of Kyle Korver

He sat out Thursday's regular-season finale because of nagging injuries, but Korver has shot the ball a lot better recently. More importantly, his defense has improved this season, and if he knocks down open jumpers he will stretch the floor for Derrick Rose in crunch time.

9: The rise of Taj

Taj Gibson's defense has gotten even better this season, and he will be called upon to be a closer alongside Omer Asik late in games. He always seems to make one or two highlight plays each night, especially against the Miami Heat.

8. The Bench Mob is rolling

Tom Thibodeau may decide to cut his rotation down much the same way he did last postseason, but if he doesn't, Bulls fans should feel great because their team has the deepest bench in the NBA. C.J. Watson, Ronnie Brewer, Jimmy Butler, John Lucas III, Korver and Gibson have developed into a reliable group of reserves that Thibodeau has more confidence in this season.

7. Noah is primed for a title run

Joakim Noah had a lot of ups and downs this season, but he looks to be mentally ready for the grind that comes in the postseason. He was not happy with how last season finished, and he is motivated to create a different ending this time.

6. Thibs is in control

Now in his second year, Thibodeau knows what he wants from his team, and he learned a lot from the postseason last time. He wants to continue to prove to all the teams that passed him over for head-coaching positions that they made a mistake. The best revenge would be a title.

5. Bulls still feel like underdogs

Thibodeau's team had the best record in the NBA again this season, but he has the players buying into the idea that there are still a lot of people who don't believe they can win. That belief will permeate through the locker room as the postseason drags along and will push his players to play even harder.

4. A year wiser

As a group, the Bulls have matured a lot over the past year. They have gotten even more comfortable playing alongside each other, and they are even more confident when they are on the floor together. That maturity is something that has grown throughout the season, and they feel like it will carry them for the next few months.

3. Don't write off Boozer yet

Carlos Boozer knows that he didn't perform up to his capabilities last season during the playoffs. He heard all the criticism, and it pushed him to come back in even better shape this season. He is the only Bull who started and played in every game this season. He wants to have a big postseason run to prove to everybody who doubted him that he is not a bust.

2. Rip City

The Bulls' biggest flaw last season was that they didn't have a 2-guard who could knock down open shots and take some pressure off Rose. Now they feel like they have that guy with Richard Hamilton, a player who knows what it takes to win a title (having won one in Detroit) and can help show his teammates the way. If he can knock down big shots in the playoffs, nobody will care that he missed most of the season because of injuries.

1. Watching Derrick Rose

Bulls fans should be most excited by the fact that Rose is playing and desperately wants to win a title. He has been hurt, and he's still not close to 100 percent. But he's still the reigning MVP of the league, and he is still better than most of his peers, even when he's not at his best. Rose may not be able to make all the moves he made last season, but as long as he's on the floor the Bulls still have a chance to win a title.

CHICAGO -- Taj Gibson sat low in his reclinable black chair in a quiet and depressed Chicago Bulls locker room. He couldn't believe that the Bulls, the team that has grinded out win after win this season no matter which players suited up, could fall so flat against such a brutal Wizards' team, losing 87-84 on Monday at the United Center.

"When you give certain guys confidence early, that's what's going to happen," Gibson said. "[Kevin] Seraphin's playing well. You've got a lot of guys on that team playing for their life, trying to just get some minutes and they're taking advantage of it."

The Wizards used the Bulls’ formula against them on Monday night. They slowed the game down, defended down low and absolutely dominated the Bulls in the paint. Led by Seraphin, who had 21 points and 13 rebounds, the Wizards outscored the Bulls 48-22 in the paint. The Bulls players seemed rightfully embarrassed by their lackluster performance. Playing without Derrick Rose (foot) and Luol Deng (ribs) the Bulls still had more than enough to win -- and they knew it.

"They played a lot harder than we did tonight and that was the bottom line," Bulls guard Kyle Korver said. "They got a lot of guys who are playing for their careers and it just goes to show you can win on any night and you can lose any night. Tough game."

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ATLANTA -- Carlos Boozer scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and threw down one of the most ferocious dunks of his Bulls' career at the end of Wednesday night's convincing 98-77 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Still, the veteran power forward knew what one of the most crucial aspects of the night was for his team, and as he often does, he sung the praises of his teammates. In this case, the teammates Boozer referred to as sweat rolled off his face were the feisty group that continues to make a name for themselves night after night.

The Bench Mob.

Led by Taj Gibson who scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds, the Bench Mob had one of its most productive nights of the year, outscoring Atlanta's bench 37-23. As usual, the Bench Mob changed the momentum of the game and helped push the Bulls back on the kind of track that Tom Thibodeau has been searching for the past two weeks.

"They're so awesome, man," Boozer said. "We've got the best bench in the league. A lot of those guys would be starters on other teams, they're just playing behind studs on this team, but we look at them as starters. We've got two groups that go in there and do their thing. And our guys come in super aggressive, all the way from the point guard all the way down to the center. We're very confident in them and it's fun to watch them get [going]."

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CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was ejected in the second quarter of Saturday’s Raptors-Bulls game.

Noah, who finished the night with two points, two rebounds and two assists, was whistled for a foul with 1:28 remaining in the half. He complained towards the official and was whistled for a technical foul. Noah proceeded to throw the ball in the direction of the official and was whistled for a second technical foul. He was replaced by Taj Gibson.

Noah is averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds on the year.

Noah did not speak to reporters after the game, but head coach Tom Thibodeau expressed disappointment with his center's decisions.

"I did not see what happened, but I was disappointed in the technical foul and then getting thrown out,” Thibodeau said. “We are short-handed already. We can't have that. I thought Toronto benefited from calls and they probably deserved them. They were playing a lot harder than we were. I don't have any problem with the way the game was officiated. Those guys did a good job. I have a problem with the way we played. It's everybody. It starts with me. I have to do a better job of having them ready. Right now, we are heading down the stretch and this is about building good habits, and improving. We have not done that the last two games."

Noah's teammates were surprised by the fact that the emotional center lost his cool.

"After he got the one tech he was just so frustrated he got the second one," Bulls forward Luol Deng said. “I know how bad Jo wants to win and that's Jo. He's really emotional. But we just did a good job ... Taj [Gibson] of stepping in and Omer [Asik] being big, [getting] offensive rebounds, just filling up for Jo. He's big to our team, but Jo just really wants to win every game badly and he just got carried away a little bit."

CHICAGO -- Let's take a quick look at how the Chicago Bulls pulled out a 89-80 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night at the United Center.

How it happened: After looking lifeless during the fourth quarter in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, the Bulls followed that up by playing terribly in the first quarter on Saturday night, scoring just 11 points. Luckily, C.J. Watson picked up the slack for Derrick Rose, who missed his third consecutive game because of a strained groin, by scoring 20 points. Joakim Noah added 13 points and 11 rebounds while Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson and Kyle Korver all scored 11.

What it means: Tom Thibodeau didn't like that his team came out flat again, but they responded and picked up a big win and that's what he cares about the most. Watson should get a lot of credit for the way he played -- because he continues to play with a painful ankle injury that bothers him on a nightly basis. Without Rose, somebody needed to step up offensively if the Bulls wanted to pick up a win and that somebody was Watson. He found a groove from beyond the arc, going 4-for-8. Gibson provided the Bulls with some critical energy in the first half while Noah came through in the second, playing with the kind of aggression he was preaching about after Friday's loss. This wasn't the prettiest of games, but the Bulls will take it. Any win without Rose over a good team like the Sixers should be appreciated and Thibodeau knows it.

Stats of the night: Points in the paint: Sixers 40, Bulls 22. Rebounds: Bulls 53, Sixers 39.

Bold play of the game: With his team hanging onto a slim six-point lead with less than two minutes to play, Luol Deng slashed down the lane and dropped home a crucial bucket. Deng finished with just six points, but those were two of the biggest of the night.

What's next: The Bulls take head to Florida to take on the Orlando Magic on Monday night. Thibodeau will be looking for his 100th career victory. If he gets it, he will become the fastest NBA coach in history to do so.

Our panel of experts discusses Luol Deng's sore wrist, the Bulls' trade prospects and Derrick Rose's MVP candidacy.

Fact or fiction: Luol Deng made a mistake by not having surgery immediately after injuring his wrist.

Nick Friedell: Fact. It's admirable Deng decided to postpone the surgery to help the Bulls win a title and play in the Olympics, but if he can't perform up to the same level he did before he tore the ligament, what's the point? Deng's wrist is obviously bothering him, and if he had the surgery right after the injury, there was a chance he would be ready to play at some point in the playoffs. He would have been fine for the Olympics. Now, whenever he takes a fall on the wrist the pain starts all over again. Plus, if he still decides to have the surgery, he would miss at least one month of the beginning of next season. Deng's heart was in the right place, but he might not have been doing the best thing for his team.

Marc Silverman: Fiction. Bottom line: If Luol Deng had surgery, there would be no guarantee that he would've even been available in time for the playoffs. Deng should be applauded for the way he's played through the pain. It's not easy, and there's going to be setbacks along the way -- such as the current situation, when he must rest the wrist and avoid contact. While his points and rebounds are down--Deng has never shot better from distance. When he returned from the injury, he shot 46 percent from 3-point land in February. So far in March that has increased to a white hot 52 percent. Even in "down" games, Deng was able to right the ship by hitting key shots on the road against the Spurs and 76ers. I'm OK with him missing a few games here and there much like an important pitcher who must miss a turn in the rotation. The Bulls aren't winning a title without Deng. Even with a torn ligament in his left wrist, I'm confident he'll provide outstanding defense, clutch shooting and overall smart play.

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CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose scored 32 points and made several jaw-dropping plays in the Chicago Bulls' 104-99 win over the New York Knicks on Monday, but he believes that it was another pair of teammates who really changed the game on Monday night -- Taj Gibson and rookie Jimmy Butler.

"They're the reason why we won this game," Rose said.

Gibson played his best game of the season against the Knicks, scoring 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, while Butler may have played the best game of his young career. The Marquette alum played 29 minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing two rebounds, much to the delight of his teammates.

"Jimmy was great," Bulls center Joakim Noah said. "Great energy as well. We really needed his energy. There was a lot of loose balls out there that he got to for us. Those are things you might not see in a stat line, but he affected the game tonight and I'm proud of the rookie."

Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau was proud of both men, but he noted just how important Gibson's play was throughout the game. The third-year forward racked up eight offensive rebounds and continually kept possessions alive. Gibson's performance is one of the biggest reasons why the Bulls were able to create such a huge advantage on the glass. They outrebounded the Knicks 56-38.

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