The 2011-12 Chicago Bulls.

They could also use Joakim Noah.

Missing their Point Guard (Rose-ACL tear) and starting Center (Noah-ankle), the Chicago Bulls fell into a 3-1 hole against the 8-seed Philadelphia 76ers yesterday. Rose, of course, is done for the playoffs. Noah is day-to-day, but with the injury to Rose, it’s clear that Chicago doesn’t want to risk Noah’s health in what is essentially a lost cause.

After finishing the regular season with the NBA’s best record, the Bulls have struggled to win in the absence of the reigning MVP, Rose. They managed to score just 74 and 82 points in both weekend games in Philadelphia and now return to Chicago for Game 5 on Tuesday, facing elimination.

In other NBA playoff news, the Lakers, Heat, Pacers, and Celtics all hold 3-1 leads in their individual series. The Spurs will look to sweep the Utah Jazz tonight, joining the Oklahoma City Thunder as the only teams to sweep their first round series. In tonight’s late game, the LA Clippers will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead on the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles.

We’re one Phoenix Coyotes victory away from having a Los Angeles Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes Western Conference Finals. And that will get GREAT ratings!!!!

The Kings completed a sweep of the St. Louis Blues yesterday and have now knocked out the regular season’s two best teams (only needing 9 games to do so). Phoenix will look to end their series with the Nashville Predators (surely an Original Six member of the NHL) tonight in the home of hockey, southern Arizona.

In the Eastern Conference, the New Jersey Devils moved to within one game of advancing to their conference’s Finals, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 last night.

Thankfully, there is at least one close series in the NHL with a big game later tonight. See below for details.

Last night in Washington DC, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels decided to channel his inner Bob Gibson, Gaylord Perry, and Old Hoss Radbourn. He decided that he was an “old school” baseball pitcher. Nevermind that his nickname in Philly is Hollywood and this image of him exists. Cole was tired of 19-year-old, Washington Nationals phenom, Bryce Harper hustling hard on every ball he hit. He had seen enough of Bryce Harper tarnishing OUR National Pastime by exhibiting one of the strongest outfield arms in baseball.  No more would Bryce Harper sully the game Cole Hamels loves so much by drawing walks and answering every question asked of him the right way since being called up to the Majors last week.

Cole Hamels will not stand for such disrespect of the game!

So, in the first inning, as Harper stepped into the batter’s box, Cole Hamels felt the spirit of Don Drysdale transfer into his own body. He stared Harper down and delivered a 92 MPH fastball into his back. A telegram, if you will, from all of the game’s past greats, telling the kid, “Hey, we’re tired of you disrespecting baseball by being so good at such a young age!”

And it was beautiful. The pitcher who had always done thingsin an old schoolway took Harper to school.

After the game, Hamels, in his old school way, told the press that he hit Harper intentionally. I mean, how old school is that???

The Nationals took 2 of 3 from the Phillies, but all that will be remembered from this series will be last night’s game. The Nats were drubbed 9-3, Jordan Zimmermann pitched his worst game since his Tommy John surgery, and Jayson Werth broke his left wrist. Other than that, things went great.

The Nats have today off to re-group and re-energize after a demoralizing defeat. They’ll travel to Pittsburgh today and begin a three-game series with the Pirates tomorrow.

Expect news about the extent of Werth’s injury to come later today.

Washington Capitals @ New York Rangers (7:30/NBC Sports Network). The series is knotted up at 2-games apiece. Neither team has much of an edge. Each game has been competitive. Tonight’s game is crucial for both clubs, but perhaps more so for the Rangers who cannot afford to head back to Washington needing to win two consecutive games in the series.