Even with Gordon, Bulls not so hot
DALLAS -- Ben Gordon played for the first time in the preseason, but the Bulls did not look good in a 96-88 loss to Dallas on Tuesday.
The host Mavericks outscored the Bulls by 20 points at the foul line and headed into the fourth quarter with a 22-point lead.
Three players led the Bulls with 12 points each -- Thabo Sefolosha, Joakim Noah and Thomas Gardner.
Josh Howard scored 19 points for Dallas, hitting 11 of 14 free throws before leaving the game with a wrist injury.
Late in the second quarter, Bulls coach Scott Skiles and guard Kirk Hinrich were both given technicals for arguing foul calls.
Gordon played just over 15 minutes and hit 3 of 6 shots for 6 points.
For the second straight game, Andres Nocioni replaced Luol Deng (bruised right wrist) at small forward, and rookie Aaron Gray got the nod as the starting power forward.
Gray had 7 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes. Nocioni joined Sefolosha as the team leaders in fouls with 5 each.
Gardner is trying to hang on to the 15th and final roster spot and helped his cause by knocking down 4 of 6 attempts from 3-point range.
The 6-foot-5 Gardner left Missouri a year ago and spent last season playing in Belgium.
The Bulls may decide to leave the 15th spot open. But they could also choose to keep Gardner on the roster, considering rookie guard JamesOn Curry is expected to spend part of the season on D-League assignment. Curry has shot just 30 percent from the field in the preseason (9-for-30).
The Bulls (3-3) wrap up their exhibition schedule on Thursday against Milwaukee at the United Center. Deng is hoping to play, which would give the Bulls their full starting lineup for the first time.
Skiles suggested his opening lineup Thursday will probably be the same one he uses in the Oct. 31 season opener at New Jersey.
So the game against the Bucks may provide a clue about whether Skiles plans to keep Gray a starter or turn to Tyrus Thomas, Joe Smith or Noah. Thomas had 10 points and 5 rebounds against the Mavs.
• Ben Gordon will serve coffee and doughnuts at the Dunkin' Donuts in Deerfield today from 2:30-3:30 p.m. No word on whether this assignment is payback for Gordon telling reporters earlier this month that the majority of Bulls prefer Krispy Kreme. Dunkin' Donuts is a longtime Bulls sponsor.