Hurting Deng sits, may miss Denver game
LOS ANGELES -- Luol Deng figured one unexpected recovery was enough. He managed to play 27 minutes in Saturday's win over the Clippers despite a sore back he first injured at Phoenix on Thursday.
But Deng did not dress against the Lakers on Sunday and isn't sure if he'll be available when the Bulls conclude the Western portion of their circus road trip in Denver on Tuesday night
"I don't want it to be something that keeps coming back," Deng said before the game. "If I can deal with it and get rid of it -- I don't want to miss games -- but the reality is if I keep (playing), it will keep coming back."
Deng's pronouncement that he's doubtful for the Denver game came as news to coach Scott Skiles.
"That's kind of a new thing in the NBA," Skiles said. "I don't know how he can possibly know that. You get treatment every day and see what happens."
Bulls get older: Scott Skiles suggested Saturday he would start playing the veterans more and the young players less, then showed he was serious by choosing Adrian Griffin to start in place of Luol Deng against the Lakers.
"I have to at least consider that's one of the reasons we've gotten off to a poor start," Skiles said. "I'm playing young people too much. We got away with it (Saturday) night, won a game. We'll continue on with it and see what happens."
Tyrus Thomas did not play at all in the second half against the Clippers or the first half against the Lakers. He finally got the call in the third quarter when the Lakers started to pull away.
Wallace pads stats: Ben Wallace finally looked like his old self in the win over the Clippers, piling up 13 rebounds, 9 points, 6 steals and 3 blocks. The Bulls center also ended a string of three straight games in which he sat out the entire fourth quarter.
"I looked like my old self, because it's hard to play like your old self when you're not out there," Wallace said Sunday. "It did feel good to be out there fighting with your teammates, especially when the game is on the line. That's one of the things I get up for."
Clippers get physical: Three flagrant fouls were called in Saturday's game against the Clippers, all involving Bulls forward Andres Nocioni.
In the second quarter, Nocioni battled for position with Ruben Patterson, then hacked down on Patterson's arms and neck when the Clippers forward spun toward the basket.
"He should have got kicked out the game for that," Patterson said. "He went straight for my face. He's known as a dirty player."
"I did a hard foul, because he hit me with the elbow twice before that," Nocioni said. "It just was a flagrant foul and that's it. I don't have any problem with him."
The next 2 flagrant fouls went against the Clippers. Tim Thomas shoved Nocioni when play resumed after the Patterson foul, then Chris Kaman hit Nocioni from behind on a layup attempt in the third quarter.