Bulls won’t cry foul over Game 4 disparity

MIAMI -- When there is an exasperating tug-of-war between two teams down the stretch in regulation, and matters wind up tumbling into overtime anyway, it is nearly impossible to elevate one single play above the rest and complain into the wee hours about it.

But the Bulls’ 101-93 overtime loss to the Heat in Game 4 was not without at least one speck of controversy, with Carlos Boozer whistled for a flagrant foul with 4:40 left in regulation -- a sequence that turned a three-point lead into a one-point deficit for the Bulls.

It was a microcosm of a larger issue for the Bulls: Even though they managed a 44-24 edge in points in the paint, the Heat enjoyed a 38-22 advantage in free throw attempts and made 15 more from the stripe overall.

“I mean, sometimes you get the whistles, sometimes you don’t,” Boozer said. “We’ve never been an excuse team. We’re not going to start being an excuse team now. They got fouled, I guess we didn’t.”

Boozer, as one might expect, didn’t exactly share the officials’ view on his flagrant foul. Replays showed a forearm to the Heat’s Chris Bosh in the lane, but Boozer also appeared to get a hand in the air to challenge a shot.

The resulting free throws and a Mike Miller score on the ensuing Heat possession essentially muted any Bulls momentum there.

“I didn’t see any replay,” Boozer said. “I didn’t think it was a flagrant. I thought I went for the ball, but the referee saw something different.”

Before the game, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau implored his team to move on from disappointing plays, to avoid bad body language in frustrating moments. It was difficult to follow those instructions given the disparity at the line.

“Whatever happens, you can’t argue with the ref,” Taj Gibson said. “They’re going to make the call, so you have to keep playing. You can’t hang your head and whine about the call. You have to keep playing.”

Then again, the officials whistled LeBron James for an offensive foul on the last Heat possession of regulation, all but gift-wrapping for the Bulls a chance to win the game then.

bchamilton@tribune.com

Twitter @ChiTribHamilton