Not only did the Chicago Bulls put an end to the Miami Heat's 27 game winning streak, they also left reigning league MVP LeBron James frustrated as a result of some hard fouls during the 101-97 loss Wednesday night.
The first came during the first four minutes into the game when Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich interrupted a fast break by wrapping James up with both arms and holding on as both players fell to the court. James was later fouled hard in the fourth quarter by forward Taj Gibson, who swiped James across the neck and shoulder to defend a layup.
"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."
James showed his frustration with about 3:52 left in the game, when he was called for his first flagrant foul of the season after driving his shoulder and arm into the chest of Bulls forward Carlos Boozer, who was attempting to set a screen.
James said he often resists the urge to retaliate, but admitted Wednesday that some of the hits have started to bother him.
"It's been happening all year, and I've been able to keep my cool and try to tell Spo, 'Let's not worry about it too much.' But it is getting to me a little bit because every time I try to defend myself, I got to face the consequences of a flagrant for me or a technical foul, whatever the case may be," James said. "It's tough. It's tough. It's very tough, and I'm not sitting here crying about anything because I play the game at a high level. I play with a lot of aggression, and I understand that some of the plays are on the borderline of a basketball play or not, but sometimes you just got to ... I don't know. It's frustrating."
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra sent out tapes to the league office, earlier this season, that showed a series of hard fouls on both James and Dwyane Wade, including several instances when his players were repeatedly hit in the face.
Asked after the game about the hard fouls, Spoelstra simply said, "Welcome to Chicago and Miami basketball."
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