Back spasms nothing new for Bulls' Rose

Derrick Rose is familiar with back spasms. He said he went through a full season with a sore back in seventh grade at Beasley Academic Center.

"In seventh grade, I didn't get any treatment," he said. "I had it the whole year. It was tough."

In the NBA, players can get all the treatment they need and then some, so Rose expects to be ready tonight when the Bulls host Dallas. He played through spasms in his right upper back during Tuesday's loss to Atlanta, yet still produced 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

Rose revealed Wednesday that he wasn't injured during the game. He actually began to feel back pain a few minutes before tipoff.

"I was trying to get it stretched out a little bit," Rose said. "I thought it would leave when the game got going, but it got worse. My back is feeling a little bit better now. I should be able to play.

"I don't care if I roll an ankle or whatever, if I can play, there's no point in me sitting out. Right now, it's important for me to be on the floor so I can get used to everyone."

Gooden, Hughes still uncertain: The rest of the injury news was more of the same. Forward Drew Gooden (sprained right ankle) skipped Wednesday's short practice and will be a game-time decision tonight. He's missed the past two games.

Larry Hughes was hoping to return tonight from a dislocated right shoulder, which was originally suffered on Oct. 22. But coach Vinny Del Negro suggested Hughes may wait until Saturday when Indiana visits the United Center.

Start time moved up: Tonight's game against Dallas will start at the usual time, 7:30 p.m. It was originally scheduled to begin an hour later and be broadcast by TNT. But the television scheduled was altered to include Allen Iverson playing for Detroit at Golden State. The Bulls-Dallas game will air locally on Comcast SportsNet.