Injuries Hurting Bulls Playoff Chances

The Chicago Bulls barely had enough bodies with which to practice Wednesday, a day after losing their fifth straight game. Luol Deng, Brad Miller and Taj Gibson all skipped Wednesday's practice at the Berto Center with various ailments.

Deng left Tuesday night's loss to the Jazz with a strained right calf. Coach Vinny Del Negro said an MRI test revealed Deng suffered a grade one or two strain. Del Negro said, "I think he's going to be out for a little bit."

Del Negro added that Gibson has experienced a flare up of his plantar fascitis issues and Miller injured his left thumb. Miller should play as the Bulls play back to back games in Orlando on Thursday and in Miami on Friday. Gibson's status is unclear. And Deng will likely miss both games.

With Joakim Noah already sidelined indefinitely with his plantar fascitis, the depleted Bulls have slipped to ninth in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Bulls are doing their best to keep their heads up amid the rash of injuries.

"Obviously we're a different team than we were with our personnel and things," said Del Negro. "But we still have to continually get better and find ways every day in practice. No one's going to feel sorry for you. We've got a tough stretch right now but we have to find ways to keep oursevles in these games and give ourselves an opportunity in the end and try to steal one or two and take them one game at a time. Nothing's going to be easy. Hopefully we can weather the storm and get our guys healthy and get our guys back as a cohesive unit and get on a roll here at the end."

A busy schedule against above .500 teams hasn't given the Bulls any practice time to make adjustments. Newly acquired Hakim Warrick said he feels a bit like a fighter entering a ring with his hands tied behind his back. But there are no excuses.

"It's frustrating," conceded Warrick. "But that's the business. That's the game. It's a long season. Guys are going to get hurt and you're going to have your ups and you're going to have your downs. You've got to play with what you've got. No one's going to feel sorry for you. You've got to still go out there and play your hardest to try to get the win. We have to do a better job of coming together collectively and pick up the slack for the guys who are out."