Thibodeau doesn't want Bulls' fastbreak to slow down without Noah

From the opening day of training camp, first-year Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has preached playing with pace in most every interview.

Since center Joakim Noah has gone out with a thumb injury, the Bulls' fastbreak points have plummeted. They were averaging 16.2 fastbreak points per game with Noah in the lineup.

Take away the layup drill from the 45-point win over Philadelphia and the Bulls are averaging just 7.5 fastbreak points in the last six contests. They were credited with 9 on Friday against the Nets.

Noah ignited the Bulls' break with both his rebounding and ability to run the floor faster than most big men. Considering Noah's replacement is 38-year-old Kurt Thomas, it's easy to see why the Bulls have slowed down.

“Kurt, he's a great player, but he's old,” Derrick Rose joked. “So you've got to wait for him to set the pick. We can't complain because we're winning right now.”

Thibodeau won't use Thomas as an excuse. He wants the Bulls to keep running.

“Jo is a great runner, but Carlos (Boozer) is also a great runner,” Thibodeau said. “So we've got to be able to get him up the floor quicker. We should be in the open floor more. I want Derrick attacking. I want him to play with speed.

“Kurt, we're asking him to play defense, rebound. He's not going to run the floor. We should still be up the floor a lot quicker than we are now.”

Avery wanted time off:

Avery Johnson had the best winning percentage of any coach in NBA history (.735) when he was let go by Dallas after the 2007-08 season.

The Bulls were in the market for a new coach then but didn't spend much time pursuing Johnson before hiring Vinny Del Negro. Before Friday's game, Johnson said he didn't want to take a new job right away.

“I definitely wanted to wait a year; two years was great,” he said. “I'd been in the NBA for 20 straight years and I was dealing with a son that was in seventh grade and a daughter that was in ninth grade at the time.

“So it was good for me to be home during those two years and put out some fires and make sure they're on the right track. Now I'm glad to be back coaching again. It's what I love to do.”

Carmelo quest drags on:

The latest rumor in New Jersey's ongoing quest to trade for Denver's Carmelo Anthony is the Nuggets are asking for five first-round draft picks in return, according to yahoo.com.

Denver can't afford to drive too hard a bargain, because Anthony could sign outright with the Knicks or Nets as a free agent this summer. New Jersey has been offering a package of rookie Derrick Favors, cap relief and draft picks since October.

“There are always going to be rumors, even if they're not accurate,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said.

Bull horns:

Cleveland center Anderson Varejao will miss Saturday's game with a broken cheekbone. Cavs guards Mo Williams (hip) and Daniel Gibson (thigh) are both questionable. … Kyle Korver will host a coat drive at Saturday's game.