LeBron James called out Taj Gibson and other Bulls for their hard fouls against him during the Heat’s streak-ending loss on Wednesday. (David Banks/Getty Images)

The NBA has ruled one of the Bulls’ hard fouls against LeBron James during Wednesday night’s game a flagrant — but not one of the two James called into question during a postgame rant.

The league upgraded a foul by Chicago forward Taj Gibson that occurred with 2:37 remaining in the first quarter from a regular shooting foul to a flagrant foul, according to the Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman.

After the game, a 101-97 Bulls win that ended the Heat’s historic 27-game winning streak, James admitted that he was “frustrated” by the hard fouls against him, saying that they were “not basketball plays.”

He called out Kirk Hinrich on a first-quarter foul and Gibson on a fourth-quarter foul in which he raked James across the neck.

From the Sun Sentinel report on the upgraded Gibson foul:

James made both free throws following the foul. Because there was no flagrant foul called at the time, there was no video review. However, had the flagrant foul been assessed during the game, instead of after the fact, the Heat also would have retained possession following James’ free throws. Instead, the Bulls pushed back to an 11-point lead immediately after James’ foul shots.

Taj Gibson has reversed course and agreed to an extension with the Chicago Bulls. The Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson reported the news via Twitter following the Bulls’ 93-87 win over the Sacramento Kings on opening night.

Taj changed his mind. Agreed to extension.—
K.C Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 01, 2012

Taj Gibson extension is 38 million over 4 years.—
K.C Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 01, 2012

“I looked at the numbers and that’s a lot of money, especially the security,” Gibson told the Chicago Tribune.

Gibson was a valuable contributor on last season’s Bulls team, averaging a career-best .495 field goal percentage while mostly coming off the bench in relief of Carlos Boozer. Gibson has said that he wants to retire as a Chicago Bull, and the respect appears to be mutual between player and team.

The Bulls hope to re-sign Taj Gibson to a long-term deal before the beginning of the season. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls are looking to re-sign forward Taj Gibson to a long-term contract and hope to real a deal before the beginning of the NBA season this fall, according to a report from Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com. Gibson, who is set to make $2.1 million next season, will become a free agent July 2013:

[E]xpect the Bulls to engage in long-term contract negotiations with backup power forward Taj Gibson after filling out their roster in free agency…there is hope that a deal can be reached prior to the beginning of the regular season.

According to the report, Gibson, 27,  is “highly coveted” by teams because of his ability to defend multiple positions and the Bulls know they will need someone to provide relief for center Joakim Noah, who the team has signed through 2015-16.

To provide another big man on the team, Sam also reports that the Bulls are looking into signing Darko Milicic, who was amnestied this summer from the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was set to make $5.2 million next season with the Wolves, so he could provide an inexpensive, low-risk option for Chicago’s frontcourt:

As for the Bulls’ ongoing free-agent pursuit, frontcourt help could reportedly come in the form of center Darko Milicic, according to reports,

The Bulls could potentially lose center Omer Asik this offseason to the Houston Rockets, who have offered the Turkish big man $25 million over three years. Included in the deal is what’s known around the league as a “poison pill” of $15 million for Asik’s third year, a contract almost identical to the one the team used to successfully lure Jeremy Lin away from the New York Knicks.

Derrick Rose’s recovery from ACL surgery in May is going quicker than expected, according to teammate Taj Gibson. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Derrick Rose’s recovery from ACL surgery in May is going quicker than expected,  said teammate Taj Gibson in a report from Adam Fluck of Bulls.com:

“I think he’s improving quicker than people have expected him to improve. He’s in there every day and he’s pushing it to the limits every time I see him. I think he’ll come back even better than he was before.”

Gibson said teammates are expecting him to come back better than ever despite being sidelined for up to 12 months after tearing his ACL in the playoffs. Rose went down with the Bulls up double digits in the final minute of the teams Game 1 win against the Philadelphia 76′ers in the first round.

“I think he’s going to be better in my honest opinion,” Gibson reiterated. “It’s tough when you’re coming off so many different injuries. You [usually] don’t have time to work on your body [during the season]. But after this injury, he’ll understand more than ever how important it is to maintain your body and stay on top of your legs. As he works through this recovery, he’s already been pushing his legs and it’s great.”

Despite missing 27 games in a shortened season of 66 games, Rose averaged 21.8 points and 7.9 assists.

The Chicago Bulls are confident that big man Taj Gibson will play in Game 6 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.

“I’m going to try to keep it moving,” Gibson said. “I’m looking forward to playing, not sitting out. I’ll be OK.”

Gibson sprained his right ankle in the third quarter of the Bulls’ 77-69 win over the Sixers in Game 5 last night. He played anyway in the fourth quarter, logging nearly six more minutes, but needed treatment throughout the day today.

Game 6 is tomorrow night back in Philadelphia.

The Bulls will need all the quality minutes they can get — their corps of big men is already depleted by the near-certain absence of starting center Joakim Noah, who also battles an ankle injury. Omer Asik is expected to start Game 6, with Gibson coming off the bench.