Bulls coach Jim Boylen was hoping for bad weather all day — something, anything, to ruin the Lakers’ visit before tip-off at the United Center.

“I wish it was a little colder today for these California guys, but we did get a 40-degree day,’’ Boylen said. “Hopefully that will help us.’’

It didn’t.

And the only storm to hit Tuesday unfortunately slammed into the Bulls, who lost 118-112 and watched a 19-point lead disintegrate in one of the worst fourth quarters the organization has seen in years.

Just how bad did it get?

The Lakers started the fourth down 13 and appearing lifeless, only to go on a 9-0 run that turned into a 24-4 run within six minutes. Even more embarrassing was the fact that Lakers fans seemed to take over the UC.

By the time the horn sounded, the Bulls were outscored 38-19 in the fourth quarter and dropped to 2-6 on the season. They turned the ball over seven times for 10 points in the fourth and allowed the Lakers to shoot 60 percent from the field.

“I’m the head coach of the team, and I’ll take responsibility for the fourth quarter,’’ Boylen said. “I gotta do a better job of getting our guys to understand winning basketball, and they’re a young group, and that’s what I’ve got to do.’’

Veteran Thaddeus Young took it a step further, again addressing the team after the loss and dishing out some truth.

“I came in, I talked to the guys, and I told them, ‘At some point, it’s gotta hurt.’ When it starts to hurt too bad, that’s when we’re going to start winning games,’’ Young said. “We’re going through a tough stretch where we’re not finishing games. We’re putting ourselves in position to win games, but we’re just not finishing them.’’

That’s three games this season in which the Bulls have held a double-digit lead only to blow it.

“It has to hurt to a point where we’re going to come out and say, ‘You know what? We’re not taking a loss.’ We all have to feel that, every guy, like, one through 15,’’ Young said. “To where we walk out of this locker room and say, ‘You know what? We’re going to kick their ass tonight, plain and simple.’ ’’

Repair job?

The defense the Bulls played through the first three quarters was what Boylen has been pushing for.

The embarrassing meltdown in the fourth was just another sign of how much work Boylen has to do with this group.

“This is not a group that isn’t willing,’’ Boylen said. “This isn’t a group that is defiant. It’s a group that’s learning and growing. There’s no shame in getting your butt kicked in our league; there’s no shame in having a rough night. The shame is if you don’t come back and respond and work, and we’ve done that every time.’’

Hutch sighting

Second-year forward Chandler Hutchison finally made his season debut against the Lakers.

Hutchison played almost 15 minutes off the bench. He had been on the shelf with an injured left hamstring.

With Hutchison in the mix, Ryan Arcidiacono was the odd man out of the rotation.