AP — The Chicago Bulls had been getting away with less-than-stellar play against some of the NBA’s weakest teams. On Saturday night, the league’s worst team made them pay.
After escaping with two wins against Boston, one against the 76ers, and one against the Magic — all on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture — the Bulls saw their four-game winning streak snapped by the Memphis Grizzlies 104-103 on Saturday night.
Mike Miller scored 25 points, and Hakim Warrick added 15, including the winning free throw with 4.3 seconds left for Memphis.
Luol Deng, who had 23 points for Chicago, missed an eight-foot hook in the lane as time ran out.
“Maybe we had this one coming,” said guard Kirk Hinrich, who finished with 16 points and six assists for Chicago. “We haven’t been playing well. Hopefully, this will send a message to us that we’ve just got to play better, especially at this point of the season. It’s discouraging.”
Hinrich’s eight-footer with 9.2 seconds left tied the game at 103, erasing a 99-92 Memphis lead with 2:04 left.
Warrick then hit one of two free throws with 4.3 seconds left, and Deng’s shot missed the mark with Warrick and Rudy Gay guarding him, snapping a four-game winning streak for Chicago.
