"The Chicago Bulls have the best record in the Eastern Conference, but it is not because of their offense and it would not be that way without Derrick Rose.

It just looked that way Tuesday night at United Center, when the Suns allowed a Rose-less team to take uncontested shots with the regularity of warm-ups to turn the game into no contest.

Chicago outscored its season average before the third quarter ended en route to a 118-97 thrashing of the Suns, who have a five-game losing streak for the first time since March 2009.

That improved Suns defense seems more like a UFO sighting now. The Suns (4-9) have worsened with each loss to the point that they allowed Chicago (13-3), ranked 18th in scoring, to post a 39-point first quarter as Rose rested his sprained toe."