Korver shows little ill effects from sore knee

HOUSTON -- Maybe Kyle Korver needs to spend more time confined to tight spaces.

After getting an MRI exam and bone scan on his hyperextended right knee Monday, Korver caught a commercial flight to Houston that wasn't quite what he's used to on the team charters.

“I got third-to-last row,” he said. “Window seat.”

Korver reported there were plenty of unfilled seats in Economy Plus, but that will have to be a lesson learned for the future.

As far as his knee goes, Korver seemed to be fine Tuesday night. He drilled his first 3-point attempt of the night and finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in 26 minutes.

“He was terrific and he did a lot more than just shoot the ball,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “When he's on the floor, particularly with Derrick, it opens things up because you can't cheat off him at all. After watching him move around in shootaround, I thought he'd be fine.”

Korver said the injury occurred in the second quarter against Washington on Saturday when he went up to contest a shot and landed awkwardly on one leg. He did return to play in the second half.

“It was pretty sore the next day,” he said. “There was some minor stuff in there, but the doc said as long as I can fight through it, it's fine.

“Knees are just one of those things. When your knee's going backwards on you when you make certain movements, that's kind of scary. So I was a little worried about it.”

Thibs returns to Texas:

Before coaching in Boston, Tom Thibodeau spent four years as a Rockets assistant under Jeff Van Gundy. He didn't spend Monday night riding any mechanical bulls, though.

“I love coming back in the off-season,” Thibodeau said before the game. “I have a lot of friends here, and it's a great city. But during the season, you're focused on playing the game.”

Asked his impressions of being an NBA head coach for the first time, Thibodeau expanded on his standard answer.

“Probably the biggest thing is there's three or four things that pop up every day that you don't really plan on; they just come,” he said. “It just happens. You have to be ready to deal with those things.

“You're making a lot of decisions: What time is the bus leaving? What time are you leaving after? What time are you going to practice? Are you going to practice?”

Miller still shooting:

Before the game, Houston coach Rick Adelman had this to say about ex-Bulls center Brad Miller, who scored 19 points for the Rockets on Tuesday.

“We're much better offensively when he's on the floor,” Adelman said. “He knows what we're trying to do out there. He spreads the floor and gives us room to operate. With Yao out, he's been really helpful in stabilizing us.”

Bull horns:

Tim Duncan has taken on a new role recently for San Antonio, the next stop for the Bulls on Wednesday. In the last three games, Duncan has averaged just 6.3 points and played 24 minutes or less, but the Spurs won all three. …

Yao Ming on whether he keeps in touch with former Rockets assistant Tom Thibodeau: “We're enemies now.” Yao was seen leaving the visitors' locker room just before Thibodeau came out to speak to the media after the game.