Joakim Noah loudly protested to the officials, followed by Kirk Hinrich doing it in a more diplomatic manner, in a demonstrative display of emotion after inexplicably fouling Jahlil Okafor taking a desperation 3-pointer with the shot clock headed toward expiration.
It was a rare show of emotion early as the Bulls fell behind by as many as 24 before Jimmy Butler authored a career performance, keeping the Bulls in the game as he waited for his teammates to show a pulse.
It took overtime, and it took all of his career-high 53 points but the Bulls survived their own lethargy and lack of fight to come up with enough to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 115-111 at Wells Fargo Center Thursday night.