Struggling Wallace could get some help tonight from Noah

Poor shooting, insufficient passing and Kobe Bryant trade rumors have all been listed as probable causes for the Bulls' disappointing 0-3 start.

Here's another one: When the opposing team misses a shot, the Bulls are corralling the defensive rebound just 65 percent of the time. That number is second worst in the NBA, ahead of only Golden State.

The Bulls are playing excellent defense. Their opponents' field-goal percentage of .386 is second-best in the league. But they have coughed up offensive rebounds and second-chance baskets at inopportune times.

Center Ben Wallace has been playing through a sprained left ankle he suffered in the final preseason game Oct. 25, but his performance clearly has been substandard.

Wallace is averaging just 3.7 rebounds -- sixth best on the team -- and has complained that he can't jump well because of the sore ankle.

"Right, he hasn't rebounded," coach Scott Skiles said following Monday's practice at the Berto Center. "And I'm making an assumption that it's injury-related. We'll have to get him out and get other guys in there that can rebound. It's pretty much that simple."

The Bulls should have a new player available tonight when they try again for their first win of the season, this time against the Los Angeles Clippers (2-0) at the United Center.

Rookie Joakim Noah, who has been out with a sprained right ankle, practiced Monday and is expected to make his official NBA debut. The 6-foot-11 Noah was the Bulls' leading rebounder in the preseason.

"I just want to play hard and help the team win," Noah said. "I don't know exactly what I'm going to bring, but I know I'm going to play as hard as I can, bring some passion and bring some energy, and hopefully it helps us win some ballgames."

Noah admitted it has been a struggle learning the plays and getting used to the Bulls' system. He had the same experience as a freshman at Florida but reported that he now has been given a Bulls playbook to study, something Skiles doesn't usually do.

"It's been tough just watching, but I feel like it can only go up from here," Noah said. "I've been late as couple times, so I've got fines already. We're 0-3. It's been tough."

One sequence late in Saturday's 78-72 loss at Milwaukee summed up the Bulls' problems. Joe Smith missed a layup in traffic -- his only missed shot of the night -- that could have brought the Bulls within 3 points with about 1:20 left.

Then, needing a defensive stop, the Bulls allowed the Bucks to grab 3 straight offensive rebounds. By the time the Bulls finally forced a turnover when Kirk Hinrich took a charge against Michael Redd, the clock was down to 33.7 seconds.

Wallace wasn't in the game at the time. He sat out the entire fourth quarter at Milwaukee.

Skiles said Wallace was in the training room Sunday to receive treatment on his left ankle, and the coach took that as a sign that Wallace is still hurting. Wallace and Noah both turned their ankles on the same night.

"We know he's injured," Skiles said of Wallace. "That's the situation. So if he's injured and can't get it done out there, we have to get somebody in there who can."