MIAMI (AP) -- Nearly an hour before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, Derrick Rose found himself on the defensive.
Facing a small knot of reporters at his locker, the NBA MVP denied telling ESPN the Magazine the league has a steroid problem.
A distraction? Maybe. But Rose and his Chicago Bulls teammates were backpedaling for much of the night Sunday, and they lost to the Miami Heat 96-85 to fall behind in the series 2-1.
After starting the season 4-0 against Miami, the Bulls have lost two in a row. For the first time since Feb. 5-7, they've lost consecutive games.
Smothering defense by the Heat and 34 points by Miami's Chris Bosh were too much for the Bulls to overcome.
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