TORONTO -- Chicago Bulls rookie Nikola Mirotic did almost everything right on Monday night.
He scored 28 points in a 98-86 win over the Charlotte Hornets and continued the hot streak that he has been riding all March. As Mirotic stepped to the free throw line with 31 seconds left in the game, he had the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. With two made free throws, Mirotic would set a new career high with 30 points. More importantly to many Bulls fans in the United Center, two from Mirotic would give their team 100 points and allow fans to turn their tickets in on Tuesday for a free Big Mac.
That's when Mirotic made one of his only mistakes of the night. He missed both free throws.
Some fans booed when the game ended, and Mirotic looked momentarily frazzled. He put his hand over his heart and appeared to apologize to some fans sitting courtside.
"They're all screaming at me. I'm sorry to all my fans, too," Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler said with a smile after the game. "I didn't get Big Macs, too. But it's Niko's fault, so if you're going to hate somebody, hate Niko. I had nothing to do with it."
Butler, who made the wise decision to dribble out the clock instead of trying to score a last-second bucket that surely would have angered Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, was left to speak on Mirotic's behalf, because the star rookie left without speaking to the media.
The 24-year-old Mirotic is still getting used to all the attention his play has created, but his teammates and coaches are accustomed to it by now. A chunk of each player's media availability now is related to Mirotic. His teammates, coaches and opponents are singing his praises at every turn.
"I think it's exceptional what he's doing," All-Star Pau Gasol said of Mirotic. "Especially this month has been spectacular."
What Mirotic has been doing this month is truly eye-popping.
In 13 March games, Mirotic is averaging 21 points and 8.2 rebounds in 31.5 minutes a game. Without Derrick Rose (knee), Taj Gibson (ankle) and Butler (elbow) for most of the month, Mirotic has carried the Bulls offensively at times, especially down the stretch in games.
Mirotic's play has forced Thibodeau into the kind of problem every coach would love to have. With the Bulls now getting closer to being fully healthy and the expectation that Rose will be back at some point in the next few weeks, which lineup will Thibodeau go with late in playoff games?
Barring injury or foul trouble, it's a lock that Butler will be on the floor. Thibodeau has called him the Bulls' best two-way player, and he is the team's best perimeter defender. Noah, as long as his minutes restriction is no longer in place, also is a lock given that he has been playing his best lately and is the reigning defensive player of the year. Rose will be there, too, given that he remains a dynamic force when healthy -- even though he has not been as explosive this season as he was in years past before the knee injuries started to pile up.
That leaves two more spots on the floor. Gasol likely will get one of those spots, however his defense has been porous at times. He has been the Bulls' most consistent offensive player and has been a surprising workhorse for Thibodeau this season, averaging almost 35 minutes and 18.6 points a game in 68 contests.
So what do you do with the last spot if you're Thibodeau?
Obviously, it will depend on the flow of the game. If the Bulls need defense, Thibodeau may decide to go with a lineup featuring Kirk Hinrich or Gibson. If they need offense, Mirotic undoubtedly will get the nod. But if the Bulls are tied with five minutes to go in a tight game, has Mirotic earned the right to be out there no matter what?
Given the way he has played recently, the answer seems to be yes. No matter what Thibodeau decides, he must be happy with the options. After several years of lacking the depth and talent on the roster needed to make a big push in the playoffs, the Bulls, led by a rookie in Mirotic, appear to be hitting the type of healthy stride they've been trying to find for years.