Nocioni not effective starting last 2 games
BOSTON -- Andres Nocioni has been the Bulls' best player during much of the season, but he didn't respond well to being thrust into the starting lineup the last two games.
With Ben Wallace sidelined by a sore foot, coach Scott Skiles chose to start the 6-foot-7 Nocioni at power forward and Joe Smith at center.
On Wednesday in Washington, Nocioni went 4-for-12 from the field for 8 points. Against the Celtics, he scored just a single basket in the first half and gave way to rookie center Aaron Gray when the third quarter began.
"It wasn't that I thought Noc necessarily did anything wrong out there," Skiles said. "It's just that as a group, we didn't get anything going."
With a visit from Houston and 7-6 center Yao Ming looming tonight, Skiles indicated he would change the starting lineup if Wallace can't play. Skiles also said Wallace will most likely start if he does play.
"I've never really looked up at anybody (on the court)," Gray said of matching up against Yao. "It's going to be interesting those first couple of plays."
Foot problem is familiar: Ben Wallace didn't rule out playing tonight against Houston, but he has a bad history with bone spurs.
"I had something similar on my right foot when I was in Orlando," Wallace said before Friday's game. "I was able to play the whole season. I had to have surgery that summer. I don't want to go back to that."
Wallace tried to do some running at Friday morning's shootaround, but his foot did not enjoy the ride.
"It didn't really feel that good this morning," he said. "It's just been real irritated and painful when I come up on my toes. If I can't get on my toes, I cant jump. If I can't jump, can't be out there on the basketball court."
Gray suffers Pitt-fall: Doc Rivers' son Jeremiah plays for Georgetown, so the Celtics coach thinks he has a handle on why Bulls center Aaron Gray was still available with the 49th pick of the June draft.
In last year's Big East tournament final, Gray went 1-for-13 from the field against Georgetown center Roy Hibbert during Pittsburgh's 65-42 loss.
"I thought the game he had against Hibbert really hurt him," Rivers said. "Hibbert probably had his best game of the year in the Big East finals and really shut down Gray. He was penalized for that game, and I thought that was a little bit unfair."
Bulls horns: Forward Viktor Khryapa made his second appearance of the season on Friday. He played the entire fourth quarter and scored 3 points. … Fans are invited to donate nonperishable food items and child-care supplies before tonight's game against Houston to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Tonight's tipoff
Bulls vs. Houston Rockets at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.
TV: Channel 9
Radio: WMVP 1000-AM
Update: Longtime Bulls killer Tracy McGrady sat out the second half of Wednesday's loss to Orlando because of a sore left knee, then did not play the following night at Denver. The injury is being called a bone bruise, and McGrady hasn't ruled out playing tonight against the Bulls, but his status is up in the air. Houston (12-14) lost 112-111 in double overtime to the Nuggets and has dropped five of its last six games. Center Yao Ming is averaging 21.8 points and 10.9 rebounds.
Series history: The Bulls have lost four straight home games against the Rockets and eight of the last nine in the series.
Next: San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
-- Mike McGraw