Time for Bulls to add more talent? Coby White says 'nah'

INDIANAPOLIS — Bulls guard Coby White knew the answer before the question was even finished.

Maybe that’s why he let out a quick giggle.

He had just witnessed a meltdown in the fourth quarter, resulting in a third loss to the 12-win Pacers this season, and was more than aware that the trade deadline was a week away.

So when asked if there was enough talent in the locker room to stay the course, there was no hesitation.

“You ain’t never going to get me to say nah,” White said Wednesday.

“Obviously, we’ve proved it. We’ve beaten really good teams this year. We’ve just got to continue to figure it out, make that push. We’re still in the hunt. I think we’re, like, two or three games out of sixth, so we’re still in the hunt. We’ve just got to keep competing. Like I’ve said, I love being here. I love playing with these guys. We go out there every night and lay it on the line, and sometimes things don’t go your way, and sometimes they do.”

Put this 113-110 stinker in the “don’t go your way” category.

After the Bulls (23-24) pushed the lead to 14 points with 7:36 left, it felt like it was time to start warming up the bus for the trip home.

The Pacers had other plans, however, as Pascal Siakam started to flex his championship muscle. Two layups by Siakam, two free throws, then another attack of the rim, and the Bulls’ lead was down to four with four minutes left.

Two minutes later, Jay Huff tied the score on a three-pointer from the top of the key.

The teams exchanged baskets, but after White missed a 16-footer with just over a minute left, Andrew Nembhard made an 11-foot step-back shot to give the Pacers their first lead since the first quarter.

Nikola Vucevic, no stranger to clutch heroics, added to his résumé with a three-pointer with 33.5 seconds left, but Aaron Nesmith answered with another attack of the rim.

Coach Billy Donovan took his last timeout with 13.9 seconds left and had a few sets drawn up, and the Bulls tried them all. The Pacers had a foul to give and used it, then survived a lob to Matas Buzelis that went out of bounds. But the Bulls kept possession and finally got the ball in White’s hands.

As White drove for the game-winner, however, Nesmith blocked the layup, and Johnny Furphy got the rebound. The Pacers made two free throws, and it was over.

“I thought I had an angle,” White said of his game-winning layup attempt. “I tried to finish around [Nesmith], forgot how short my arms were, and he got a piece of the ball going up. It was a good play by him. He’s a hell of a defender. Hats off to him. You learn from it and figure out what I can do better in that situation again.”

White and the Bulls better figure out something quickly. They face the Heat three times in the next four nights.

Donovan didn’t want to dwell on the notion that the Bulls play down to lesser competition, especially this season.

“You have three guys out there [Siakam, Nesmith, Nembhard] that were in the NBA Finals [last year],” Donovan said. “I know their record is what it is, but you’re talking three starters in the NBA Finals. For me, I just have an enormous amount of respect for them.”