SALT LAKE CITY — Taj Gibson sat in his locker, head staring at the floor while Jimmy Butler, two lockers over, rubbed his aching knee, slumped down and nearly slouched over.
For more than 15 minutes after media was allowed into the visitor’s locker room, it was dead silent. Pau Gasol was the first to emerge from the doldrums, tapping both Butler and Gibson on the leg in encouragement on his way to shower after the Bulls’ 105-96 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz Monday.
Derrick Rose slowly got dressed, the first to face the media firing squad, forced to address an unthinkable collapse — especially when one considers 30 minutes prior, Rose’s usually checked emotions got the best of him, taking a bow to the visiting crowd after nailing what could’ve been a game-winning, season-turning triple with 18.