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One reserve the Bulls could bring back is center Nazr Mohammed, who was huge off the bench the last few months. “Yeah, I thought Nazr was tremendous,’’ Thibodeau said. “Hopefully we’ll have an opportunity with him, but again, you don’t know what the market will call for.’’ Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Nazr Mohammed 

Even as outside pressure grew for Rose to return, the Bulls understood that it was not imminent and were content with that. "If we were going to make a mistake, we wanted to make a mistake on the side of caution," Thibodeau said. "We feel good about where he is. He has the whole summer to build more confidence, and that's the important thing. As we said when he first had the surgery, we weren't going to rush him back. And we held to that. I think it was the smart decision." USA Today Sports

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau 

Coach Tom Thibodeau confirmed one certainty: Jimmy Butler will be starting next season. "I don't see why not," Thibodeau said Friday. "The way he played this year, he earned that spot. He has great versatility. He became much more confident and competent — running pick-and-rolls, catch-and-shoot, putting it on the floor, posting up. His improvement offensively was tremendous. And his defense has gotten better and better, and will continue to improve." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Jimmy Butler 

KC Johnson: Thibodeau on DRose: "He never quite reached the comfort level he needed to play. So he made the right decision." #Bulls Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Derrick Rose, Injuries 

KC Johnson: Thibodeau said they are hoping to avoid surgery on Noah's chronic plantar fasciitis. #Bulls Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Injuries, Joakim Noah 

Derrick Rose indeed sat out every game following surgery to repair his torn left anterior cruciate ligament on May 12, 2012. "We didn't know and he didn't know," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He heeded (Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's) advice from the beginning to not rush it and make sure he's completely comfortable before getting out there. It's too important a decision for him to rush. Until he's completely comfortable, we don't want him out there. We knew this was a possibility and that's fine. You deal with it as best you can. We just want him to continue to work like he has been working. We want him completely healthy." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Jerry Reinsdorf, Derrick Rose, Injuries 

Jeff Zillgitt: Thibodeau on Rose "If we were going to make a mistake we wanted to make a mistake on the side of caution. I think it was the smart decision" Twitter @JeffZillgitt

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Derrick Rose, Injuries 

KC Johnson: Thibodeau on DRose: "It’s too important a decision for him to rush. Until he's completely comfortable, we don’t want him out there." Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Derrick Rose, Injuries 

Maybe a $35,000 fine from the league office was enough to change Tom Thibodeau’s tune when it comes to officiating in the NBA playoffs. Three days after he insisted his team wouldn’t get any calls against Miami, Thibodeau said the series isn’t about officiating – and never has been. Daily Chronicle

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Tom Thibodeau, Referees 

KC Johnson: Richard Hamilton reiterated what Tribune reported 2 days ago: His health is fine. He dropped out of rotation by Thibodeau's decision. Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Richard Hamilton 

Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich are “most likely out” for Monday’s Game 4 against the Miami Heat. In the tight-lipped coach’s world, that translates to out. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Injuries 

"I don't care," Spoelstra said when the issue of Thibodeau's comments was broached after his team's Sunday practice at the University of Illinois-Chicago. "I don't spend a lot time thinking about Tom is saying. I don't. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Erik Spoelstra 

Ethan J. Skolnick: Spoelstra: "I don't spend a lot of time thinking about what Tom is saying." Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Tom Thibodeau, Erik Spoelstra 

Ethan J. Skolnick: Tom Thibodeau has been fined $35,000 for his comments about officiating following the Game 3 loss to the Heat. Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau 

KC Johnson: The NBA announced Thibodeau's fine just after Bulls' access. According to a Bulls spokesman, Thibodeau had no comment, is focused on Gm 4. Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau 

KC Johnson: Thibodeau on Nazr/LeBron play: "From my angle, I just saw a guy basically flop. And I’m going to leave it at that." #Bulls Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tom Thibodeau, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

KC Johnson: Thibodeau on Nazr: "I didn’t think it warranted an ejection. I understand a flagrant foul. But an ejection nope." #Bulls Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tom Thibodeau, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

When everyone else watched Chicago's Nazr Mohammed make a run at James, shove him tumbling onto his back on Friday night, the Bulls witnessed something else: confirmation of a conspiracy. Mohammed earned the ejection, and the rest of these Bulls earned the indignation and outrage that they need for public retaliation. "We're well aware of what's going on," Thibodeau seethed late Friday. "I'm watching how things are going. I watch very closely. What I'm seeing is… "…We'll adjust accordingly." Yahoo! Sports

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tom Thibodeau, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

After watching Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah get ejected in the embarrassing Game 2 loss Wednesday night in Miami, coach Tom Thibodeau started planting the seed that the series hasn’t been officiated equally. “Not only Joakim, but our entire team,’’ Thibodeau said about his players having to show more composure. “We’ve got to do better, do a better job with that. You can’t get sidetracked. Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Tom Thibodeau, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Referees 

‘‘We know how it’s going to be called. We’re not going to get calls. We just have to be tough mentally, physically, emotionally. We’ve got to be a lot stronger.’’ When asked what he meant by “we’re not going to get calls,’’ Thibodeau wouldn’t come right out and say the defending champs, with all their star power, were going to get the benefit of the doubt over the Derrick Rose-less, blue-collar team from Chicago, but that was the implication. Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Tom Thibodeau, Referees