As Jimmy Butler tried to process the fact his Chicago Bulls had just lost to one of the worst teams in the league, he made a declaration for the future.

"I have to start making shots," Butler said after Wednesday night's loss to the woeful Orlando Magic. "Finishing, all of that stuff that I’m supposed to do, so to speak. I have to be better. I will be better. There’s nothing else to say about it."

As the Bulls cling to the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, just a half game ahead of the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks, the reality is that Butler has to carry the Bulls down the stretch if they want to play into late April. The All-Star swingman was 0-of-5 in Wednesday's fourth quarter, and his production has tapered off since he injured his right heel in a Feb. 1 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jimmy Butler has had a rough go of it in the past 10 games since a Feb. 1 win over Oklahoma City. Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/TNS/Getty Images

In games through that Feb. 1 contest, Butler was shooting 45.7 percent from the field, 34.8 percent from the 3-point line, attempting 9.5 free throws a game and pulling down 6.5 rebounds a game, all while averaging 24.6 points a night, according to ESPN Stats & Information. In the 10 games Butler has been able to play since Feb. 1, he is shooting just 37.6 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from beyond the arc, attempting 8.1 free throws a game and pulling down 4.8 rebounds, while averaging 20.2 points a game.

For his part, Butler continues to brush aside the notion that he is hurting.

"Sometimes with a player you just need a few more shots to fall," Bulls guard Dwyane Wade said. "Right now, Jimmy is getting the treatment that guys get that average 25-plus a game. The only way that Jimmy can have a little bit more comfort out there is your teammates continue to make shots."

Wade's point is valid, and noticeable, given that Butler faces almost constant double-teams, especially when Wade isn't on the floor. Butler is facing more defensive pressure than at any other point in his career.

"It's crazy the first half of the Clipper game, coming off of the Golden State win, is a great first half," Wade continued. "Everyone is scoring the ball. I think me and Jimmy shot three to four shots. And then second half [not much]. So the last 2½ games, two games plus that second half, it hasn't been there the same. But I think Jimmy is doing what he needs to do. I think he's been trying to pass to his teammates more, trying to give them more confidence. And also, it's that time of the year where he's going to see a little bit more people in front of him than it was earlier in the season. He's just got to figure it out."

To Wade's point, Butler's assist numbers are actually higher than they were before his injury. He is averaging 7.2 assists a game over the past 10 games, compared to 4.8 assists a game in his first 48. He is also averaging 2.4 steals a game compared to 1.8 over his past 10 games. The problem for the Bulls is that there just aren't many consistent scorers on the roster -- a problem that became even more pronounced after a trade deadline deal that brought Cam Payne to the Bulls in exchange for Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott.

"I think defenses are going to key on Jimmy, especially when Dwyane's out of the lineup," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. "That's been a lot of Jimmy just taking what the defense gives him. He's been getting double-teamed a lot, and we have to take advantage of that when it happens. We have to make the right play and play the numbers game on the backside. That's what we're trying to do with our offense is draw two on the ball, and when that happens we have to take advantage of it. We haven't done a great job these last couple games obviously of doing that, especially in fourth quarters. But Jimmy is playing, in my opinion, as hard as ever."

To Hoiberg's point, Butler is actually driving more in the past 10 games than he was earlier in the season. He's just not converting at the same rate. He was shooting 60.4 percent in the restricted area and 56.1 percent from the total paint through the win over the Thunder on Feb. 1. Since then, he is shooting 53.5 percent from the restricted area and 47.6 percent from the total paint.

Hoiberg says he doesn't believe Butler is dealing with mental fatigue, but the numbers show that his game hasn't been the same since the heel injury caused him to miss four of five games.

"He's the best player," Hoiberg said. "So he's getting double-teamed. You have to have to have your other guys step up, have that trust level that you'll make the right play, keep the ball moving. You know, again, it starts with Jimmy because he obviously has the ball in his hands so much."