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"I don't even remember what happened," Gibson said. "I just tried to make a play, and I guess it was a foul. But hey, it's going to happen. I don't remember it, but the NBA is doing their job and trying to correct things. I can't be mad at that. I'm going to have to keep pushing and moving on and get ready for the next time we play them, I guess." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson, Referees 

Apparently LeBron James' words resonated as reasoned logic, after all. The NBA confirmed to the Sun Sentinel on Saturday that one of the hard fouls during Wednesday's Miami Heat loss to the Chicago Bulls at the United Center has been upgraded to a flagrant foul. The play in question, a shooting foul on Chicago power forward Taj Gibson against James, came with 2:37 remaining in the first quarter of what turned into a 101-97 loss that ended the Heat's 27-game winning streak, six victories shy of the NBA-record winning streak of the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Taj Gibson, Referees 

Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson said Thursday that he was surprised LeBron James complained the previous night about hard fouls committed during the Bulls' 101-97 victory that snapped the Miami Heat's win streak at 27. "I think he's too good of a player to do that," Gibson said on "The Carmen & Jurko Show" on ESPN 1000. "You just play, two teams really going out there and play hard, going to the basket extremely hard and physical." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Taj Gibson 

"I didn't try to collar him," Gibson said. "I just fouled him. It wasn't intentionally. "I just tried to make a play on the ball, but I fouled him. When he fell, it looked like I collared him. I was really trying to grab him, just not hold him up. Nobody was intentionally trying to hurt anybody out there. When he said those comments, I was really shocked. But it's part of the game, I guess." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Taj Gibson 

Taj Gibson joined ESPN Chicago with Carmen and Jurko to discuss if Chicago’s gameplan was different in order to end the Heat’s streak, a controversial play involving LeBron James, where ending the winning streak ranks in terms of regular-season accomplishments, the Bulls’ odds in the playoffs and the potential of Derrick Rose’s return this season. Was there anything different about the gameplan given that you were trying to end the Heat’s streak?: “Not really, we just went out and played our normal style of basketball. We just got back to the basics. We’re normally a real dominant rebounding team. We try to help each other on defense. One thing we just did is play a little bit harder, because they really embarrassed us the last time they played in Chicago, and we really didn’t like the way they were celebrating. So we just came out and put forth more effort and guys stepped up.” Sports Radio Interviews

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Taj Gibson 

LeBron said you collared him. Did you?: “I didn’t try to collar him, I just fouled him. It wasn’t intentionally. I was just trying to make a play on the ball, but I fouled him. … I was really trying to grab him, just trying to hold him up. Nobody’s intentionally trying to hurt anybody out there. When he said those comments, I was really shocked, but it’s part of the game I guess. … You can’t expect the game to be so lightly taken after you just blew us out by 20 the last time we played you guys.” Sports Radio Interviews

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Taj Gibson 

"Let me calculate my thoughts real fast before I say (what I want to say)," James said. "I believe and I know that a lot of my fouls are not basketball plays. First of all, Kirk Hinrich in the first quarter basically grabbed me with two hands and brought me to the ground. The last one, Taj Gibson was able to collar me around my shoulder and bring me to the ground. Those are not defensive ... those are not basketball plays." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson 

It wasn’t the type of conversation Bulls forward Taj Gibson anticipated having when he accepted a spot on the USA Select Team last summer to work out against Team USA as it prepared for the London Olympics. Then again, it isn’t often LeBron James tries to recruit you to join him with the Miami Heat. ‘‘We talked about it a lot because I was coming up on my contract, possibly becoming a free agent,’’ Gibson said. ‘‘We were kicking it around, and [James] was saying: ‘Come to Miami. Come in, and we’ll treat you right there.’ I was like, ‘Nah, I’m cool with the Bulls.’ ’’ Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Taj Gibson 

At the time, he really wasn’t. Gibson entered training camp with an uncertain future. The Bulls had until Nov. 1 to give him a contract extension or allow him to become a restricted free agent after this season. James knew that and was planting the seed. ‘‘Very flattering,’’ Gibson said of James’ offer. ‘‘I mean, that shows that there is a sense of respect about your game. It means that there are other guys around the league watching you, other than just going up and down the court and banging bodies against each other.’’ Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Taj Gibson 

Coach Tom Thibodeau said there's a chance Taj Gibson could return from missing nine games with a sprained MCL in his left knee on Monday night, but the shorthanded Chicago Bulls again will be without Derrick Rose against the surging Denver Nuggets. Thibodeau said it's "unlikely" Rose will make his season debut after knee surgery last April, which -- in Thibodeau-speak -- means Rose is out. And though Thibodeau called Kirk Hinrich a game-time decision, he also said the guard "didn't do much" at the morning shootaround. That means Hinrich will miss his seventh straight game with a stress reaction in his right foot. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Injuries, Taj Gibson 

Taj Gibson celebrated the birthdays of Jerry Reinsdorf and Joakim Noah on Monday by having an MRI performed on his sprained left knee. Well, not really, but the confluence of such events seemed fitting for a star-crossed Bulls team these days. For every celebratory moment — a blowout win in Charlotte, Noah turning 28 — a somber one follows in the form of a convincing loss to an elite team or another injury. At least Gibson's MRI didn't reveal a torn ACL, although it did confirm a sprained MCL that could sideline the defensive-minded forward up to two weeks. Fortunate, too, is the fact the Cavaliers come to town Tuesday, a team the Bulls have solved 11 straight times by an average of 17.8 points. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Injuries, Taj Gibson 

The sparkling new arena, home to the Brooklyn Nets, is right down the street from the Fort Greene housing projects where Gibson once lived and where he and his boyhood friends often played pickup basketball. That both the Nets and Gibson have arrived at this point makes Gibson shake his head and smile. "It's a crazy, surreal feeling," he said, sitting in front of his locker in the visitors' locker room at the Bradley Center late Wednesday in Milwaukee. "That area used to be dirty and griminess around there, drug dealers and gangs and stuff. Now it's clean. The area is beautiful. It has created a lot of jobs for Brooklyn." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Taj Gibson 

The Bulls’ Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson, Marquis Teague, Nancy Reinsdorf, Leslie Forman, Larsa Pippen and Benny the Bull helped 20 teens from Gilda’s Club Chicago spend $100 gift cards courtesy of Dick’s Sporting Goods on Thursday evening. The Bulls were on hand at the Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Glenview to offer shopping tips for the teens and helped them pick out shoes, jerseys and other athletic gear for their holiday gifts. Before the shopping spree, the teens also enjoyed dinner provided by Bulls partners Vienna Beef and Hinckley Springs. NBA.com

Chicago Bulls, Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson, Marquis Teague 

In yesterday’s post on Anderson, we noted that the Chicago Bulls, who have long coveted Gasol, have the goods to get a deal done in a three-way trade if they are willing to part ways with Taj Gibson, a future No. 1 draft pick owed to them by the Bobcats, plus a little more. That little more could include EuroStash asset Nikola Mirotic, who we have written about often on this site. SheridanHoops

Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic 

After Gibson signed a four-year extension -- worth up to $39 million with certain escalators -- on opening night, Thibodeau saw what many saw early this season in regards to Gibson's play. "Thibs said 'You're pressing,'" Gibson said after Saturday night's win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Thibodeau watched proudly as Gibson developed into one of the best reserves in the game over the past few years. The USC alum was a force defensively and worked hard to develop a consistent mid-range jumper. ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson 

The happy-go-lucky forward isn't hiding from the pressure of the new deal, though. He knows a lot is expected from him and he wants to live up to his new deal. "Of course I think about that," he said. "But then that's too much ... I can't put too much pressure on myself. I have to just go out there and just do my job. There's already added pressure wearing a Bulls jersey, but just thinking about all the other stuff that's going to pull you down, you just have to go out there and just play and have fun. That's what I've been doing the last couple of games and just getting back to the basics. Just focusing on defense and when it's time to score, just take my looks." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson 

But this season was different. Since the preseason and the constant chatter about whether he would get an extension done, Gibson didn't look like the same player. He wasn't playing with the same zeal and looked increasingly frustrated at times on the floor. So Thibodeau picked up the phone a couple weeks ago and tried to get the 27-year-old back on track. "I remember one day he called me, he pulled me to the side and said, 'Don't worry about it, you're pressing,'" Gibson said. "Just play your game, have fun, you're doing a great job on defense and doing good leading our defense. Just stay with the fundamentals, just have fun, and that's what I'm trying to do. "Every day in practice I'm going hard, I'm going in early, I'm staying late and I'm just trying to get better. It's going to be ups and downs, that's what I realized early in my career, it's been times when I wasn't shooting the ball well, but then come playoff time I'm at a high. Just got to stay the course and keep playing." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson 

Taj Gibson said pressure of living up to contract extension isn't affecting his play, is confident he is improving. "There’s always pressure because you’re wearing the Bulls jersey," Gibson said. "I’m still adjusting to a different team and having to do a lot more on defense, talking more. I have to be more vocal. The coaching staff is telling me to keep working. "I’ve been frustrated I haven’t been able to shoot well. I put a ton of work in this summer. I just have to work my way out of it. I’m trying to do other things---be solid on defense, make plays for others like I did last game and try to bring energy to help us win." Sulia

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson 

After Damian Lillard iced the Blazers’ 102-94 victory over the Bulls with a dunk with 1.9 seconds left, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson bee-lined toward the rookie point guard at center court to express their displeasure. LaMarcus Aldridge and other Blazers prevented a post-game incident by intervening, but Lillard’s late-game display caused quite a commotion Sunday night at the Rose Garden. “I just told him he can’t do that,” Gibson said. “He didn’t say anything. He was making a scene out of nothing. He made the layup and me and Joakim just addressed it, like, ‘In the future, you have to be smarter. A lot of teams aren’t going to let you do that.’" Oregonian

Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Damian Lillard 

Gibson credited his agent, Mark Bartelstein, for convincing him to accept the Bulls’ offer late Wednesday. “I asked him, ‘What do you think? Don’t give me the bull(crud). Be real with me,’ and he was real with me,” Gibson recounted. “He said, ‘I don’t want you to turn this down. I know we can probably get more this summer, but it’s all about if you’re happy or not. I want you to take this. It’s too much of a risk to go out there and you never know what could happen.’ Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson