Gordon, Del Negro say run-in no big deal
Both Ben Gordon and Vinny Del Negro tried to brush off Thursday's post-practice spat as a minor issue. It would have been if Gordon didn't angrily confront Del Negro in front of a dozen or so reporters at the Berto Center.
Gordon was upset about being fined for arriving late to a team flight. He and Del Negro must have talked it out and resolved their differences, because Gordon was in the starting lineup Friday as usual.
"That was yesterday," Gordon said before the game. "Today is today and that's pretty much it."
Del Negro blamed his heritage for the altercation, though it was Gordon who initiated the conversation.
"I'm Italian. I like to argue," Del Negro said. "I argue with everybody. That's how I grew up. It doesn't bother me. Who cares about that stuff? Anybody wants to argue, I'm a good arguer. That's fine. Whatever helps to get this team going.
"I love that guys show passion. I hope guys argue and get on each other and get into it and show some fight and some grit. That's what it's all about."
Gooden sits and shaves: Drew Gooden shaved off his hair-dangling "Johnny" beard, which was supposed to be based on Johnny Depp's character from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series.
He was also back on the shelf for the Toronto game with a lingering groin injury. Coach Vinny Del Negro said before the game that he'd like to consider Gooden's status day to day. But it seems likely Gooden will be shut down for several days at least.
The seventh-year power forward suffered the injury Jan. 12 against Portland, sat out one game, then played in the next three.
"That was probably the most pain I've played with in my career," Gooden said. "It's something I tried to see if I could do and see if the pain would go away, but it persisted."
Gooden missed his 13th game on Friday, which matches his career high for time missed in a season, set last year.
No rosy scenario: Here is captain Kirk Hinrich's take on the argument between coach Vinny Del Negro and Ben Gordon:
"This is my sixth season and pretty much every year, it's not all roses," Hinrich said. "Players have disagreements. Coaches and players have disagreements. The main thing is we're able to put stuff that happens aside and be professional and go out there and do our jobs."
Bull horns: Toronto guard Jose Calderon ran his consecutive free-throw streak to 83 by going 4-for-4 on Friday. That ranks second all time in NBA history behind Minnesota's Micheal Williams, who hit 97 straight in 1993. ... After starting 10-3 at home this season, the Bulls have gone 3-7 at the UC since Dec. 31.