The Chicago Bulls looked good when they took a 2-1 series lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But when LeBron James turned it up and looked like the best player in the world again, and when the Cavs supporting cast stepped for their injured mates, the Bulls shriveled on their way to losing in six games.

Dan Bernstein, a senior columnist for CBSChicago opines that a brewing feud between Chicago's starting backcourt of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler may have also had something to do with the Bulls' disappointing collapse in Game 6.

As Bernstein notes, Rose started the game hot, going 5-9 from the field for 10 points and dishing out three assists in the first quarter. The rest of the game wouldn't go as well, as the former MVP just added four points on 2-7 shooting, and only taking four shot sin the second half when the Bulls' season was on the line.

Bernstein cites that a source told 670 The Score that tensions between Rose and Butler have been building in recent weeks, and that Rose's passive approach after the first quarter was his way of saying, "You want to be the man, go ahead and knock yourself out," as Bernstein wrote.

Butler has emerged this season as the Bulls' leading scorer this season on his way to winning the Most Improved Player award. He will be a restricted free agent this offseason, and is expected to get a max contract.

After Rose's good start to Game 6, the Bulls were just down two, scoring 31 points while shooting 56.5 percent from the field. The Bulls scored just 13 points in the second quarter when Butler went 2-6, and looked to be forcing the action.

The future of the Bulls is already hanging in the balance with rumors of coach Tom Thibodeau's firing swirling for weeks. If there's any truth to the rumors of a rift between Rose and Butler, it only adds to the uncertainty in Chicago.