May 2, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (center) battles for the ball with Chicago Bulls power forward Carlos Boozer (left) and Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (right) during the second half in game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at the United Center. Brooklyn won 95-92. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Just one week ago, fresh off one of the craziest games in recent memory, the Chicago Bulls led their series with the Brooklyn Nets three games to one. It seemed the Bulls would certainly win the series and face the Miami Heat in the second round.

But then Chicago’s season-long foe reared its ugly head: Kirk Hinrich went down with a leg injury. Between games five and six, Taj Gibson and Nate Robinson came down with the flu and Luol Deng briefly was hospitalized with a viral meningitis scare. Just like that, the Bulls lead evaporated.

Now, it comes down to one game to decide who will earn the right to be trampled by the Heat on their way to the NBA Finals. On the Nets’ side, Deron Williams has been mostly solid all series, Brook Lopez has been the best player at any given time in the series, bar none, and Joe Johnson has been mostly decent. For the Bulls, Deng and Hinrich might have to miss the game, Joakim Noah seems much better after suffering from plantar fasciitis for the last month or so and it’s hard to say whether Gibson or Robinson will be at full strength Saturday.

Marco Belinelli filled in quite well for Deng Thursday, but the Bulls desperately need Hinrich or Deng’s defense to match up with Williams and Johnson. Jimmy Butler is a quality defender, but he can only guard one of the two at any given time.

Game seven will begin at 7 p.m. CST on TNT.

Apr 29, 2013; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau calls out to his team during the fourth quarter of game five of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The astute fan will notice that the Chicago Bulls still hold a 3-2 lead in their first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets. But tonight’s game six in Chicago is starting to feel like a must-win for the Bulls with the announcement that Kirk Hinrich will miss another game and Luol Deng and Taj Gibson are game-time decisions with the flu.

This season has been all about injuries since before it even started, what with Derrick Rose tearing his ACL 370 days ago and all. But to this point, Chicago has soldiered on as best it can, winning 45 regular-season games and another three in the playoffs despite Nate Robinson and Jimmy Butler being the only two Bulls to play in all 87 games to this point.

This task, however, might well be too much for them. The Bulls need but one win and will have two chances at it, but winning a second time in Brooklyn would be tough, and winning tonight only slightly less so. If Deng and Gibson can’t play, the Bulls may very well be completely screwed, as Deng’s absence would require putting a much lesser defender on either Joe Johnson or Deron Williams.

Now, to cheer you up, here’s Jimmy Butler, via ESPN Chicago’s Nick Friedell:

Jimmy Butler on how sick veterans Luol Deng and Taj Gibson look “They look the same way they do every day. Lu is dark skinned, Taj is bald”

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) May 2, 2013

Game six will begin at 7 p.m. central time on TNT.