RealGM

The Bulls have played six games in the two weeks since Jim Boylan took over as head coach, including three in four days last week. So after giving the team Sunday off, Boylan was looking forward to some serious practice time Monday.

But when he arrived at the Berto Center in the morning, Boylan found that Luol Deng was still out with Achilles tendinitis, Ben Gordon had a bruised left knee from the victory over Sacramento on Saturday, Andres Nocioni had a fever and Ben Wallace, who has battled back and foot pain, was out.

''This always happens,'' Boylan said. ''You try to prepare. You have great thoughts. You're going to cover this and that. You're going to get everything done.

''Then you get here, [and] your great plan all of a sudden becomes a little patchwork you've got to do. But the practice we had was good. The guys worked hard, and we got a couple things accomplished.''

Deng, who missed the game against the Kings, did a little running but was unsure if he would play tonight against the New York Knicks.

''I feel a little bit better,'' said Deng, the team's No. 2 scorer with 17.9 points per game. ''It's just pain that's there; it's not like it comes and goes. If I'm playing, it's going to feel tight. The more I rest, it should get a lot better. We just have to keep treating it. We'll see how it feels [today].''

Boylan would not say what his starting lineup would be if both Deng and Nocioni are out tonight. Nocioni started in place of Deng on Saturday and scored 26 points.

''I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it,'' he said.

suckfish wrote:Nichols has been recalled, might be a good game to see what he has to offer.

Cliff Levingston wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


Or it might be a good game to have him planted on the bench so we can see what Sefolosha, Tyrus and Noah have to offer.

Cliff Levingston wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


Or it might be a good game to have him planted on the bench so we can see what Sefolosha, Tyrus and Noah have to offer.

Primarily yer, but if Nichols is ever going to get a short run when better to do it than tonight?

Cliff Levingston wrote:Just sit all of them; we're playing the Knicks for christ's sake.

dougthonus wrote:Why give him a short run at all? Bring him in to practice. If he's killing guys there then give him a run. Otherwise, we've got other fish to fry.

dougthonus wrote:As a side note, I'd love to start Tyrus at SF if Deng and Noc are out, and I'd rest Deng for sure, and Nocioni as well if he's sick (though a fever clearly isn't something that's going to get worse and make him miss the next 2 weeks if he plays through it like the achilles with Deng might).

Go big for once. Start Hinrich, Thabo, Tyrus, Smith, and Wallace.

Otherwise, we've got other fish to fry.

Dieselbound&Down wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Are you sure we couldn't find a fever which could keep Noc out a few weeks?

Magilla_Gorilla wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Cliff Levingston speaks the truth.


Let Sef start at SF. Give Tyrus some time at the 3 and 4, split Noah between the 4 & 5.

I'd love to see a big lineup with Tyrus, Noah, and Smith in the frontcourt (not starting, but at some point in the game.)

kyrv wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Boylan actually played...hmm I think it was those three or Ben instead of Smith, at one point the other game. It was a scene, man!

ptpablo wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
I hope he coughs all over Ben Wallace and Chris Duhon.