A few days ago in New Jersey the Chicago Bulls lost a key game to the Nets that resulted in the Bulls falling to the 5-seed in the Eastern conference. They now have to face the Miami Heat in the first round of the postseason. InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner and a few other reporters talked with Big Ben after the loss. Here's the key stuff he said:

On losing to the Nets and falling from #2 to #5 in the seeding:

Ben Wallace: We're still in the playoffs. We still got opportunity to do big things.

On having to face the Heat right away:

Wallace: Like we said before, it really didn't matter who we played. As long as we go out and play the way we're capable of playing, and give ourselves and opportunity, that's all we can ask.

On what went wrong in the Bulls loss to the Nets:

Wallace: They saw opportunity to come out and take control of the game. And that's what they did. You have to tilt your hat to them. Those guys came out and played hard, with energy. We played in spurts and came up a little short.

On why he's wearing his championship ring right now in the locker room, if it's to send a message to his teammates:

Wallace: Naw. I think everybody already know what we're playing for. Everybody know what the playoff is about.

More on the championship ring:

Wallace: I just put it on. It looks good. Fashion statement.

On if the Heat seem more beatable this year than in the past:

Wallace: The regular season don't really tell you a lot about a team, man. Like you said they were beat up, had some guys out, coach was out for a while. You really can't judge how they play in the regular season. Playoffs is always a different beast.

On if it's harder for young players to turn things up in the postseason:

Wallace: I think sometimes guys just don't know what to expect out the playoffs. So I wouldn't say it's hard for them to turn it up. Some guys just don't know what to expect. We don't have that problem. We have guys that have been in the playoffs before. So I expect everybody to know what to expect come playoff time.