Who's in, out: Improving Taj Gibson a game-time decision

Taj Gibson was upgraded from out to questionable on the Bulls' official injury report. It's too soon to tell if Gibson will play Friday against Toronto, but at least it's progress.

He has missed the last 10 games with a sprained left ankle. Jimmy Butler (elbow) and Derrick Rose (knee) are listed as out for Friday's game.

"It just depends on how I wake up and feel, really," Gibson said Thursday at the Advocate Center. "I've been going pretty hard the last couple of days in practice. It's been real sore the next day. After each day it's been getting better and better.

"They said for one bad day you're going to have two more positive days. That's the thing about ankle injuries. I feel great today. I'm just going to see how it is tomorrow and the next day."

Gibson felt his conditioning is good. The biggest hurdles are being able to play defense without thinking about twisting the bad ankle once again. Gibson spent a long time at the end of Thursday's practice playing 1-on-1 against rookie Cameron Bairstow.

"I think I'm an elite defender," Gibson said. "I've got to be able to stop the guys in practice, let alone guys on other teams.

"This was a tough (sprain) this time. That's what happens when you try to challenge every shot, be there for your team. The main thing is going down there and remember how you hurt yourself last time, just try to be safe.

Mirotic a major factor:

Rookie Nikola Mirotic has led the Bulls in scoring five times in the last 10 games. He scored 25 in Wednesday's 103-86 win over Indiana.

"His skill set and the fact he can play two positions has really helped us," said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. "He complements the other guys we have. He plays off Pau (Gasol) very well.

"When you add in Aaron (Brooks) in the pick-and-roll with him, that's very difficult to guard. He's done a good job with that."

Thibodeau started the season thinking Mirotic would strictly play the power forward spot. He's since added minutes at small forward, partly out of necessity, but mostly because he's done so well.

Injury news unchanged:

There was no news on the return of Jimmy Butler or Derrick Rose from injuries. Butler participated in all of Thursday's practice.

He won't play Friday against Toronto, but there's another chance Saturday at Detroit.

"When they're ready to play, they should play," Tom Thibodeau said. "Whether it's tomorrow or the next day or the day after that."

Rose did all the noncontact parts of practice.

"I think he's progressing well," Taj Gibson said of Rose. "He's moving now. He's on the court, he's moving. I think it's a positive.

"We went through the same thing (arthroscopic knee surgery) with Doug McDermott earlier this season."