HoopsHype.com Rumors

The selected players of the Team USA Select team are: Ryan Anderson (Orlando); DeJuan Blair (San Antonio; DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz); Paul George (Indiana); Taj Gibson (Chicago); Gordon Hayward (Utah); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland); Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio); Jeremy Lin (New York); Klay Thompson (Golden State); and John Wall (Washington). Sulia

Derrick Favors, DeMarcus Cousins, Paul George, John Wall, Gordon Hayward, DeJuan Blair, DeMar DeRozan, USA Basketball, Jeremy Lin, Taj Gibson, Ryan Anderson, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard 

David Locke: Huge honor for Hayward and Favors - other members include Irving, Wall, DeRozan, George, Leonard, Blair, Ryan Anderson and Taj Gibson Twitter

Derrick Favors, Paul George, John Wall, Gordon Hayward, DeJuan Blair, DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson, Ryan Anderson, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard 

"I don't have the words right now," said forward Taj Gibson, who had 14 points off the bench and was arguably the Bulls' best player this series. "It really sucks to lose like that, especially when it's a physical game and it's late. They're fouling hard and we're fouling hard. It was a grind out there. It was playoff basketball and it sucks." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson 

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 Thursday night of their Eastern Conference first-round series. "I'm feeling better," Noah told BullsTV on Tuesday, his first interview since the injury. "I'm just trying to get out there for the next game." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Injuries, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson 

KC Johnson: Thibodeau said Taj will do shootaround and is expected to play. Noah gametime decision but still limping and won't do full shootaround. Twitter

Chicago Bulls, Injuries, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson 

Four of the five games Taj Gibson has missed in his first three seasons were because of sprained ankles. However, the versatile big man always has responded well to treatment, which is why Bulls management is as confident as Gibson that he will play in Game 6 on Thursday. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson 

Elton Brand said Taj should not be suspended for Game 6: “It was kind of like an elbow to the face,” Brand said in the locker room. “But I don’t think he should be suspended. Nothing brutal. It was like an elbow, kind of push-off. It wasn’t like a blatant elbow." Sulia

Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Elton Brand, Taj Gibson 

But, as they stand at the brink of elimination following an 89-82 loss to the Sixers Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center, it is the Bulls who are seeing the grit of the 76ers. "They are a tough team," said Bulls reserve power forward Taj Gibson. "They have a lot of guys that come off the bench and play tough. They know their roles, and they play hard late. In the last couple games it has come down to the fourth quarter, and they have shown that they have the toughness and the will to overcome." Philadelphia Inquirer

Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Taj Gibson 

Hamilton was unable to finish Friday morning's shootaround and was considered a game-time decision, as was Gibson. Hamilton was initially listed as the starter at shooting guard but was replaced by Kyle Korver right before tipoff and did not play in the game. "Taj is moving great," coach Tom Thibodeau said of Gibson. "Each day he's getting better." Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Richard Hamilton, Injuries, Taj Gibson 

Taj Gibson: iHeaven Twitter

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson, Steve Jobs 

If Team Nike needed any more motivation, United Brooklyn provided it. If a spot in the Dyckman championship and a rematch with rival Ooh-Way didn’t fuel their competitive fire there was the sight of NBA players Taj Gibson and J.J. Hickson that touched a nerve with the sneaker company’s sponsored all-star squad. “A lot of people kind of counted us out because they brought a couple of good pros and they already have a good team,” Team Nike forward B.J. McFarland said. “A lot of people thought we didn’t have enough to beat them.” New York Post

JJ Hickson, Sneakers, Lockout, Taj Gibson 

In a formality, the Bulls exercised their fourth-year option on forward Taj Gibson for the 2012-13 season. Gibson has averaged 8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 162 games over two seasons, starting 89 times. The Bulls picked Gibson with the 26th pick in the 2009 draft. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson 

The Heat eliminated the Bulls 4-1 in the Eastern Conference finals to advance to the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. The Bulls put up a good battle before fading, the kind of battle that had the United Center roaring. In the end, though, the odds that were stacked against them prevailed. Those odds were 21/2 to 1, as LeBron James (28 points), Dwyane Wade (21) and Chris Bosh (20) outdueling Derrick Rose (25) in the battle of NBA stars. The Bulls became the 21st consecutive team to lose a conference finals after falling behind 3-1 in the series. The last team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the conferece finals was the Boston Celtics in 1981. Trailing 77-65 with 3:14 left, the Heat roared back with startling efficiency, outscoring the Bulls 18-3 the rest of the way. ‘‘It’s frustrating,’’ Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. ‘‘That’s a good team, some of the best players in the world. But we just let this one slip through our hands. We were really up, had a nice lead. That’s what’s so frustrating about it.’’ Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson 

Noah's Chicago teammates, who shared the same bench in the same vicinity of the same heckler, saw their guy's side of things. "It [the fan's harangue] was really over the line," Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. "It was going on for the entire time Joakim walked back to our bench until he sat down. ... I know the crowd looked at the guy, too, like, 'Come on,' leave him alone, it's over.' "He was really loud. He was a big guy, too. He was intoxicated. When I saw him, I was just surprised, because he kept going and going." NBA.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson 

Bulls big man Taj Gibson said the abusive fan targeted Noah relentlessly. "I was able to hear it, but I can't basically say what they were saying," Gibson said. "It was really over the line. It was going on for the entire time Joakim walked back to our bench until he sat down, and they kept getting on him the whole time. At first, he looked, Joakim looked to see who was saying it, and the guy just kept going. I know the crowd -- the crowd looked at the guy, too, like come on, leave him alone, it's over. "He was really loud. He was a big guy, too. He was intoxicated. When I saw him, I was just surprised, because he kept going and going. Normally a fan may say a couple things and sit down, but he just kept going at Joakim. And it was Joakim the entire time. Even when I was sitting on the bench with Joakim, even when the plays were off, he was still going. Basically the whole game." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson 

Berger also reports that Bulls forward Taj Gibson said Noah was the target of a stream of abuse from an intoxicated fan. "The guy just kept going. I know the crowd looked at the guy too, like, 'Come on man, leave him alone. It's over.' But the guy just kept going. ... It was the usual, but in that circumstances, it was heavy because he was really loud. And he was a big guy, too. He was intoxicated. When I saw him, I was surprised, because he just kept going and going. Normally a fan may say a couple of things and then sit down. But he just kept going and going, and it was Joakim the whole time." CBSSports.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson 

In the Eastern Conference Finals, however, there’s much more on the line for the Chicago Bulls. “We’ve got a lot of confidence. We’ve been in this situation before, but this is the playoffs now and that’s a tough team,” Taj Gibson said after Friday afternoon’s practice at the Berto Center. “But we’re not shying away from anything. We understand that it’s going to be a hostile environment, but we’re up to the challenge. “Like ‘Thibs’ [Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau] says, ‘We’re going to walk through the fire,’ and right now, we’re walking through it and we’re going through it as a team.” CSN Chicago

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson 

Throw in a blocked shot and a defensive presence that helped hold the Heat to one field goal in the first seven and a half minutes of the final quarter, and there was little else Gibson could do. The shame was everyone else doing little, period. "That's what I do -- come in, try to provide a spark every game," Gibson said. "Just wasn't good enough tonight." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Taj Gibson 

Wade warned that the next time he tries to block a shot by Gibson, he’s going to make Gibson pay for posterizing him. Gibson’s response to that: ‘‘Good.’’ ‘‘I’m going to keep going out there making aggressive plays,’’ Gibson said. ‘‘He’s a phenomenal player. It’s playoff basketball. I know that it’s going to come around eventually, but it’s not going to stop the way I play.’’ Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Taj Gibson 

So he’s saying he didn’t go home and watch highlights of his two impressive dunks? Taj Gibson: “I swear, I haven’t even watched any film on it. Everybody just keeps texting me about it, but I honestly didn’t even watch it.” Sports Radio Interviews

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Taj Gibson