Shame on Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas.

Sure, there was plenty of finger-pointing after the Bulls’ colossally embarrassing 109-90 loss to the Heat in a win-or-go-home Eastern Conference play-in game Wednesday.

The Heat’s Erik Spoelstra was the best coach in the United Center, exposing the Bulls’ every flaw. All-Star guard Tyler Herro was the best player in the building, showing wannabe All-Stars just how far they still have to go by scoring a game-high 38 points and getting whatever he wanted against the Bulls’ defense.

But the real culprit in this chase for fool’s gold was Karnisovas. He was so blind in his pursuit of ‘‘development’’ and building out the roster that he wasted another season of doing what it takes to add elite-caliber talent.

The hopes of hitting No. 1 in the NBA Draft lottery and selecting Duke star Cooper Flagg? A pipe dream. The idea of another roster overhaul? Check the contract situation. Fooling anyone who would listen that Chicago is a free-agent destination? Please.

Every mistake this front office has made in the last five years was exposed in a gigantic thud of a night.

‘‘I thought we came out with the wrong mindset,’’ Bulls guard Josh Giddey said. ‘‘And, credit to them, they dictated terms, and we just didn’t respond the way we needed to. We dug ourselves a deep hole, and it was tough to get out.’’

The Bulls fooled a lot of people in the last month by playing winning basketball and looking as though they finally would be able to put to rest the curse of the Heat, who had eliminated them in the previous two play-in tournaments.

One problem: They still lacked that elite player who in the playoffs can put a team on his shoulders and push them forward.

It wasn’t Giddey, whom Herro and several other Heat guards went right at on the defensive end. It wasn’t guard Coby White, who shot 5-for-20 and committed seven turnovers. And it wasn’t rookie forward Matas Buzelis, who is still a pup.

The Heat had a Herro, and all Karnisovas has given the Bulls and their fans is false hope.

That’s why coach Billy Donovan was asked whether the organization is operating with one hand behind its back until it can find an elite talent.

‘‘You look at any great team, they have ‘a guy’ that’s really, really elite,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘And a lot of times it’s in the backcourt.

‘‘I think Coby made a really good jump [this season], and wherever he gets to, I don’t know. Josh made a nice jump. I’m sure those will be all things the front office will take a look at as they go into the draft and free agency.

‘‘I don’t disagree with you because that’s kind of been the case. I think what’s changed is the number of guys you need.’’

One would be a good starting point. That was on display early, as everything Donovan listed as a concern about what might go wrong went wrong.

First there was Herro going right down the lane against Giddey for the first basket of the game, kicking off the layup line that persisted throughout most of the first half.

Any loose balls? Heck, no. The Bulls couldn’t be bothered to get to them.

And as far as imposing a will and an identity on the methodical Heat? Forget about that, as well. The Bulls had two — yes, two — fast-break points in the first quarter.

The Bulls made a push in the third quarter, but the hole was too deep. And, just like that, the Heat had done it to the Bulls yet again.

‘‘It’s very disappointing just losing to the same team three years in a row,’’ White said. ‘‘Just gotta be better. Gotta learn from it.’’

Starting at the top would be nice.