Despite coach Erik Spoelstra shaking up his rotation, at times dramatically, the result was disappointingly familiar, a 96-86 overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls at the United Center that effectively ended the Heat’s hope for the No. 1 Eastern Conference playoff seed, now three games behind the Bulls in the loss column.

“This is one of the worst feelings for a regular-season game I’ve had this year,” a downcast LeBron James said by his locker as he stared blankly at the floor, disconsolate.

“It hurts,” Spoelstra said. “So there will not be an easy road. Right now, we’re dealing with the hard road.”

via Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel