Gordon expects to start, guard Bryant tonight

Ben Gordon expects to start tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers and take on the challenge of guarding Kobe Bryant, despite giving up nearly six inches in height.

"We haven't talked about switching anything up," Gordon said Monday at the Berto Center. "Coach hasn't mentioned it, so I don't expect to be taken out of the lineup."

Now that 6-foot-5 Larry Hughes has recovered from a dislocated shoulder, it's conceivable coach Vinny Del Negro could choose to start Hughes and bring Gordon off the bench. Gordon has started the past four games after Kirk Hinrich suffered a thumb injury that will keep him out until mid-February.

Bryant was the NBA's sixth-leading scorer through Sunday at 24.8 points, but Gordon isn't far behind at 21.3 points. Gordon is actually shooting a higher percentage this season, .471 compared to Bryant's .449.

"Defensively, we're just going to try to help and try to keep the ball out of his hands," Gordon said. "On the other end, we're going to try and make him work. I think the worst thing you can do when you have great offensive players is let them rest on one end while they just tear you up offensively."

Bryant scored 18 points in both games against the Bulls last season, but he didn't need to do anything spectacular in two convincing Lakers wins.

Gooden tweaks ankle: Power forward Drew Gooden left practice early after reinjuring his sore right ankle Monday. Coach Vinny Del Negro doesn't believe it will be a problem and hasn't ruled him out of tonight's game against the Lakers.

"I want him to be healthy for the whole trip," Del Negro said. "He's a player we need out there, from a rebounding standpoint. He's one of our captains. We always need him out there, but we need him out there being effective and being able to move on that ankle. We'll see how that goes."

Nichols released: The Bulls waived guard Demetris Nichols on Monday in a move mostly designed to help keep the team's payroll from exceeding the luxury-tax threshold.

"I think he can play in the league," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "He's got to work on things, but he's a worker. Whatever we can do to help him, I would do in a second. I think he'll get an opportunity somewhere else."