Chicago
Bulls

News: Hughes, whose $13 million-per-season contract runs through next season, has made it clear to GM John Paxson and coach Vinny Del Negro that he's unhappy with his reserve role and the Bulls will look to move him before the deadline, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Impact: The decision to deal Hughes is an easy one as his minutes likely will decrease with the Bulls deciding to keep Lindsey Hunter, Kirk Hinrich returning from thumb surgery next week and the desire to get Thabo Sefolosha into the regular totation. When Hinrich returns, it will give the team six guards, making it even more difficult to find Hughes the playing time he desires.

News: One day after expressing optimism he'd play Friday against the Wizards, Deng said his sprained left ankle felt worse Thursday after practicing for the second straight day, the Chicago Tribune's Bulls blog reports. "I didn't feel as good as Wednesday," Deng said. "Most likely, I'm not going to be able to go until I can help the team. I'm pretty close."
Impact: Deng has missed six straight games after suffering the injury on Dec. 26 in Miami. It's looking now like Deng will not play Friday and there is a good probability that he will also miss Saturday's game against Oklahoma City.

News: Hinrich, out since Nov. 7 due to a torn ligament in his right thumb, participated in the non-contact portion of Wednesday's practice, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Hinrich is edging closer to a return, which should come in about 10-14 days. Once he does come back, coach Vinny Del Negro will have his hands full trying to find minutes for all the backcourt personnel in Chicago.

News: Deng participated in the majority of Thursday's practice and, barring a setback, said he planned to play Friday night after missing six games with a sprained left ankle, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: If Deng is able to play, the Bulls will likely follow the same format they used when Drew Gooden returned Tuesday by having him come off the bench in the first half and possibly have him start the second half on the floor.

News: Gooden practiced Wednesday with no aftereffects from his sprained right ankle after returning Tuesday from an eight-game absence, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Gooden played 33 minutes Tuesday, first coming off the bench, then starting the second half. Look for him to start Friday, likely replacing Aaron Gray, especially with Luol Deng scheduled to return to action.

News: Gray (sore back) started but played just six minutes Tuesday against Sacramento due to the return of Drew Gooden.
Impact: Gray never returned to the floor after playing the first six minutes of the game and will likely head back to the bench beginning Friday with Gooden returning to the starting lineup.

News: Gooden (sprained right ankle) finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while managing to play just under 33 minutes in his comeback game, in the Bulls' 99-94 win over Sacramento Tuesday.
Impact: Gooden didn't start the game but came off the bench to see major action and started the second half on the floor as he returned after missing eight games with the injury. Assuming he has no setbacks, look for him to move back into the starting lineup, replacing either Aaron Gray (more likely) or Tyrus Thomas, possibly as early as Friday.

News: Gordon helped break the Bulls' three-game losing streak with 24 points in a 99-94 win Tuesday over Sacramento. He also extended his double-digit scoring streak to 35 consecutive games.
Impact: Gordon leads the Bulls in averaging 21.0 points. He has also hit 89 of his 196 attempts from 3-point range (42.3 percent).

News: Gordon helped break the Bulls' three-game losing streak with 24 points in a 99-94 win Tuesday over Sacramento. He also extended his double-digit scoring streak to 35 consecutive games.
Impact: Gordon leads the Bulls in averaging 21.0 points. He has also hit 89 of his 196 attempts from 3-point range (42.3 percent).

News: Updating a prior post, Gooden (sprained right ankle) is in fact active for Tuesday's game against Sacramento.
Impact: Gooden, who was not in the starting lineup and not listed as one of the first 12 players prior to the game, is playing for the first time in nine games after an MRI showed no additional damage and he went through part of Monday's practice. Team management must have been happy enough how Gooden looked during Tuesday's walkthrough, allowing him suit up. See how the ankle reacts to game action before deciding to activate him for Friday's game.

News: Gray practiced Monday but is nursing a sore back, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: With both Drew Gooden and Luol Deng out with injuries, Gray has seen additional playing time while starting 14 of the Bulls' last 15 games at center. His production is usually minimal, but he provides a big body in the front court, which has been needed with Chicago short-handed. Look for Gray to suit up Tuesday.

News: Hinrich said he plans to begin practicing later this week as he continues to recover from right thumb surgery, the Chicago Tribune's Bulls blog reports.
Impact: Hinrich, who tore a ligament in his thumb on November 7, has begun shooting and dribbling on his own. Once he begins to practice, his return to game action could come in about a week.

News: Gooden said he planned to play Tuesday against Sacramento after an MRI performed on his sprained right ankle Monday showed no further damage, the Chicago Tribune's Bulls blog reports.
Impact: Gooden, who has missed eight games with the injury, participated in part of Monday's practice and will test his ankle again at Tuesday's shootaround. If he is unable to go or limited, look for Tyrus Thomas to once again see major minutes.

News: The condition of Gooden's sprained right ankle has somewhat degenerated and he will have an MRI Monday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Gooden, who was expected to return to action early last week, missed his seventh straight game Saturday. The delay in his return and swelling still in the ankle prompted the need for the MRI.

News: Gray had 10 points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes Saturday night in Chicago's loss to Minnesota.
Impact: This was his seventh straight start and 14th in the last 15 games. His starts don't always end up this productive, nor does he get this kind of playing time in his starts. It's hard to recommend him for fantasy lineups unless you are really desperate or in a very deep league.

News: Gooden (ankle) sat out Saturday's game against Minnesota.
Impact: This was the seventh straight game Gooden has missed because of the injury, which was thought to be getting better earlier in the week. Tyrus Thomas continues to start in his place at power forward.

News: Thomas flirted with an unusual triple-double Saturday night, blocking eight shots to go with his 15 points (4-for-9 FG, 7-for-7 FT), eight boards, four assists and two steals.
Impact: Thomas was the dominant force in the game for the Bulls, as he continued his strong play of the last month.

News: Gordon continued his streak of double-digit scoring performances with a team-leading 22 points in Friday's 117-92 loss in Cleveland.
Impact: Gordon has scored in double figures in 33 straight games and has led the Bulls with 21.0 points per game. He has topped Chicago in scoring in all of his five seasons.

News: Gordon continued his streak of double-digit scoring performances with a team-leading 22 points in Friday's 117-92 loss in Cleveland.
Impact: Gordon has scored in double figures in 33 straight games and has led the Bulls with 21.0 points per game. He has topped Chicago in scoring in all of his five seasons.

News: Gooden sat out Friday's game because of a sprained right ankle.
Impact: It was thought Gooden might be able to return this week, and he still could with a game Saturday night at home against the Timberwovles.

News: Deng missed Friday night's game because of a sprained left ankle.
Impact: Deng has missed four straight games because of the injury. Thabo Sefolosha's been starting in Deng's place at small forward.

News: Coach Vinny Del Negro fined Hughes, Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas for conduct detrimental to the team for violating a rule in the team handbook prohibiting pregame eating in the locker room before the Bulls' road win win over New Jersey Monday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Some players grumbled, saying they were unaware of the rule. From there, Del Negro dealt with players directing what he viewed as either improper language or disrespectful behavior toward him, which is probably why the fines were leveled. This seems to be a ticky-tacky kind of a fine and Hughes has had productive contests in each game, so this did not appear to have any short-term impact, though we will need to see if there any long-term ramifications.

News: Coach Vinny Del Negro fined Noah, Tyrus Thomas and Larry Hughes for conduct detrimental to the team for violating a rule in the team handbook prohibiting pregame eating in the locker room before the Bulls' road win win over New Jersey Monday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Some players grumbled, saying they were unaware of the rule. From there, Del Negro dealt with players directing what he viewed as either improper language or disrespectful behavior toward him, which is probably why the fines were leveled. This seems to be a ticky-tacky kind of a fine and it did not impact Noah's playing time as he saw increased minutes in each game.

News: Coach Vinny Del Negro fined Thomas, Joakim Noah and Larry Hughes for conduct detrimental to the team for violating a rule in the team handbook prohibiting pregame eating in the locker room before the Bulls' road win win over New Jersey Monday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Some players grumbled, saying they were unaware of the rule. From there, Del Negro dealt with players directing what he viewed as either improper language or disrespectful behavior toward him, which is probably why the fines were leveled. This seems to be a ticky-tacky kind of a fine and may have contributed to Thomas' drop in playing time the last two games, though given Del Negro's inconsistent substitution pattern, the fine may have had no impact.

News: Thomas only played 20 minutes in Wednesday's loss against Orlando, finishing with a measly nine points and two rebounds.
Impact: Thomas has played just 20 minutes in each of the Bulls' last two games while Joakim Noah has seen an increase in those games to over 30 minutes. It is unclear what type of frontcourt rotation coach Vinny Del Negro will go with moving forward but one thing you can be sure about is that Thomas will continue to be an inconsistent and unreliable option for fantasy owners.

News: Noah came off the bench in Wednesday's game against Orlando and finished with his first double-double of the season, totaling 19 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists in 30 minutes.
Impact: Noah has come off the bench to play 30 minutes in back-to-back games which is an encouraging sign considering it's been almost two months since he last logged 30 minutes in a game. Keep in mind that this was a blowout win and Noah was playing against Orlando's second unit for most of the game, so don't go do anything rash like add him in standard leagues yet. He is worth keeping an eye on but will most likely be too inconsistent with his minutes and production moving forth to be a reliable option, especially with the return of Drew Gooden to the lineup.

News: With Luol Deng still out, Sefolosha got another start Wednesday, scoring six points with seven assists and four assists in 30:48 of action Wednesday,
Impact: Sefolosha's run at small forward may last for about another week or so until Deng returns, so don't go running to your waiver wire to pick him up.

News: Noah had his second straight solid game, posting a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, in the Bulls' 113-94 blowout loss to the Magic Wednesday.
Impact: The key word is blowout, as Noah saw additional run due to the lopsided score, but the key is that he made the most of it. Despite two straight solid efforts, the looming returns of Drew Gooden and Luol Deng cut into the potential value of Noah, though his ability to play center does give him some worth as Aaron Gray is not the answer in the middle for Chicago.

News: Coach Vinny Del Negro said Gooden's sprained right ankle "feels a little better" but he will not play Wednesday against Orlando, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: It was hoped that Gooden would return Monday, but that did not happen, and now, he will be sidelined another game. Gooden might be able to come back Friday at Cleveland, but that too may be a pipe dream, so avoid activating him until you see him play in a game with no setbacks.

News: Coach Vinny Del Negro said Deng's sprained left ankle is "still a little behind," and as expected, he will not play Wednesday against Orlando, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Deng was first injured Friday and is expected to miss one-to-two weeks, putting his earliest likely return date at sometime next week.

News: Hinrich confirmed coach Vinny Del Negro's disclosure that he is two to three weeks away from returning from right thumb surgery, the Chicago Tribune reports. "That's what we're hoping for," Hinrich said. "So far I'm ahead of schedule. It just keeps getting stronger. I've been able to handle the ball and shoot. It's just a matter of picking the right time to let me start shooting around and full contact and stuff like that."
Impact: If Hinrich were to return in mid- or even late January, he would far surpass the Bulls' original prognosis of mid- to late February. Hinrich tore the ulnar ligament in his right thumb Nov. 7 against Phoenix and had surgery four days later. His return would bolster a shaky Bulls defense but adds some clutter to a crowded Chicago backcourt, which could force a trade.

News: Hughes, coming off the bench behind Thabo Sefolosha, finished with 17 points, seven rebounds. five assists and three triples, in the Bulls' 100-87 win over the Nets Monday.
Impact: Hughes did most of his damage, scoring 13 points, in the first half while Sefolosha was on the bench. Hughes has shown the ability to be productive despite limited minutes and believes that he, and not Sefolosha, should be starting but coach Vinny Del Negro has shown no desire to make that change. Expect Hughes to have nice but not extraordinary lines while the playing time arrangement is in place.

News: Nocioni finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, doing nearly all of his damage in the second half, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter by taking advantage of the double-teaming of Derrick Rose, in the Bulls' 100-87 win over the Nets Monday.
Impact: Nocioni got the nod over Tyrus Thomas in the second half and helped lead the Bulls to their first win in New Jersey since 2001. Nocioni has been very productive lately, but we will need to see how the playing time is distributed once Drew Gooden and Luol Deng return from their injuries within the next week or so.

News: Thomas, who started at power forward, landed on the bench for most of the the second half in the Bulls' 100-87 win over New Jersey Monday.
Impact: Andres Nocioni and Joakim Noah saw most of the playing time at power forward in place of Thomas and no reason was given for the switch. Thomas finished with just seven points and four boards in 20 minutes of action, which came on the heels on one of his more productive games Saturday. Trying to get a read on Thomas' playing time is an impossibility, so despite his upside, you may be better served letting someone else take the risk.

News: Coach Vinny Del Negro had expressed optimism about Gooden returning Monday from his sprained right ankle but that did not happen, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Gooden missed his fifth straight game Monday but did run before the game. He wouldn't speculate on his return, making Wednesday's game doubtful for him.

News: Coach Vinny Del Negro let slip that Hinrich (right thumb surgery) could be back in "two to three weeks." That would be far ahead of the Bulls' original prognosis for Hinrich to return in mid-February, though Hinrich privately has been optimistic about returning sooner, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Del Negro backpedaled off that optimism in his future comments, but it appears to be a fairly good likelihood that Hinrich, who has been out since November 11, will back in action sooner than expected.

News: One game after benching Noah for the entire second half, coach Vinny Del Negro played him 13 minutes 37 seconds consecutively bridging the first and second quarters and 32 minutes overall in the Bulls' win over New Jersey Monday, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Noah finished with eight points, seven rebounds and four blocks and provided the energy required by Del Negro for Noah to see playing time. Noah has also been working on his conditioning by running sprints before games and practices, though given Del Negro's inconsistent substitution patters, Noah could just as easily find himself planted on the bench in the next game.

News: Rose had 21 points and a season-high 13 assists, leading the Bulls to a 100-87 win over the Nets on Monday night.
Impact: Rose has gotten back on track the past few games after some struggles to start the Bulls' four-game road trip. After averaging 10.0 points and 4.0 assists on 30.4 percent shooting in the first two games, he averaged 24.0 points and 10.0 assists on 61.8 percent shooting in his last two.

News: Rose had 21 points and a season-high 13 assists, leading the Bulls to a 100-87 win over the Nets on Monday night.
Impact: Rose has gotten back on track the past few games after some struggles to start the Bulls' four-game road trip. After averaging 10.0 points and 4.0 assists on 30.4 percent shooting in the first two games, he averaged 24.0 points and 10.0 assists on 61.8 percent shooting in his last two.

News: Rose came through with 21 points, four rebounds and 13 assists during the Bulls' 100-87 win over the Nets on Monday.
Impact: Rose went 9-of-15 from the floor, also adding one 3-pointer and two steals in 43 minutes of action. The 13 dimes were a career-high.

News: Sefolosha, starting at small forward in place of the injured Luol Deng, hit his first five shots and scored 14 points in 35 minutes in Chicago's 129-117 loss to the Hawks Saturday.
Impact: Sefolosha, who also had dour rebounds and three assists, was given the starting nod due to his defensive abilities and coach Vinny Del Negro's desire to continue bringing Larry Hughes off the bench. Deng is only expected to miss a week or two, and with Drew Gooden possibly due back Monday, Sefolosha's recent increase in playing time may be short-lived, though Del Negro may want to stay with Thabo as the Bulls are desperate for some defensive stops.

News: Noah played just 5:35 in the first half and watched Cedric Simmons take his second-half minutes in the Bulls 129-117 loss to Atlanta Saturday.
Impact: Even with Luol Deng and Drew Gooden out of action, Noah was not able to see double-digits in minutes in what is shaping up to be a lost second season for him in the Windy City. Right now, Noah is looking like a major draft pick bust.

News: Adamant in his stance that he's a high-minutes starter since the February day the Bulls traded for him, Hughes expressed frustration over his playing time for the second time in five weeks Saturday as Thabo Sefolosha started for the injured Luol Deng in the 129-117 loss to Atlanta, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Impact: Hughes is averaging 26.7 minutes per game, the lowest mark of his 11-year career, while his 21.8 points-per-game-average over a projected 48 minutes ranks third on the Bulls. Coach Vinny Del Negro cited matchups and Hughes' value off the bench for his decision Saturday, and even with Hughes' outburst, don't expect the situation or his playing time to change much.

News: Rose scored 27 points (12-for-19 FG) with seven assists, four boards and a trey in 42 minutes of action Saturday night. His only weak spot was at the line, where he missed four of his six attempts.
Impact: Rose entered the game having made only 7-of-23 FG attempts over the last two games, and on Saturday he outscored those two games combined (27 points vs. 20 points). As outstanding as his year has been, Rose is still a rookie so may have more ups and downs as the season goes along.

News: Gordon knocked down six treys on his way to 33 points (10-for-22 FG, 7-for-7 FT) on Saturday night against the Hawks. He also added six assists, four boards and two steals.
Impact: Gordon, who broke Scottie Pippen's Chicago team record for career three-pointers in the game, is on pace to have the best season of his career this year. It is always smart to have players that are in contract years, as Gordon has added incentive to produce.

News: Rose scored a career-high 27 points in Chicago's loss on Saturday to Atlanta.
Impact: Rose was 12-of-19 from the field and had seven assists and only two turnovers. He had been held to 10 points in each of the previous two games and is averaging 17.5 points.

News: Rose scored a career-high 27 points in Chicago's loss on Saturday to Atlanta.
Impact: Rose was 12-of-19 from the field and had seven assists and only two turnovers. He had been held to 10 points in each of the previous two games and is averaging 17.5 points.

News: Gordon made three 3-pointers in the first quarter on Saturday night against the Atlanta Hawks to pass Scottie Pippen and become the Chicago Bulls' career leader in 3-pointers. Gordon scored 33 points, going 6-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Impact: Pippen made 664 3-pointers in 856 games with the Bulls. Gordon, playing in his 346th game with the Bulls, began the night with 663 3-pointers. He had 15 points in the first quarter and made all three attempts from behind the arc.

News: Gordon made three 3-pointers in the first quarter on Saturday night against the Atlanta Hawks to pass Scottie Pippen and become the Chicago Bulls' career leader in 3-pointers. Gordon scored 33 points, going 6-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Impact: Pippen made 664 3-pointers in 856 games with the Bulls. Gordon, playing in his 346th game with the Bulls, began the night with 663 3-pointers. He had 15 points in the first quarter and made all three attempts from behind the arc.

News: Deng could miss up to a week with a sprained left ankle.
Impact: Deng hurt the ankle on Friday. An MRI was negative and he did not appear to be limping on Saturday. Deng, who is averaging 13.3 points in 26 games for the Bulls, was holding crutches but did not appear to put any weight on them Saturday night.

News: Deng could miss up to a week with a sprained left ankle.
Impact: Deng hurt the ankle on Friday. An MRI was negative and he did not appear to be limping on Saturday. Deng, who is averaging 13.3 points in 26 games for the Bulls, was holding crutches but did not appear to put any weight on them Saturday night.

News: Gooden missed his fourth straight game with a sprained right ankle Saturday but coach Vinny Del Negro said he hopes Gooden can play Monday at New Jersey, the Associated Press reports.
Impact: Del Negro had originally ruled Gooden out of all three games on the Bulls current road trip, so a return Monday would be a game ahead of when he was projected to play.

News: Deng, injured during the third quarter Friday night when Joel Anthony collided with him, said the MRI on his left ankle Saturday showed no further damage other than the sprained ligament, the Chicago Tribune's Bulls blog reports
Impact: Deng is sticking to his one- to two-week projected absence, but the forward walked without a limp Saturday and ditched the crutches he had in Miami. With Deng out, Thabo Sefolosha is getting the start Saturday, but look for Larry Hughes and Andres Nocioni to also see more action. Deng suffered theg.

News: In somewhat of a surprise, with Luol Deng out, Sefolosha will start at small forward over Larry Hughes for the Bulls' game Saturday against the Hawks, the Chicago Tribune's Bulls blog reports.
Impact: Sefolosha has seen a slight uptick in minutes lately but all signs pointed to either Hughes or Andres Nocioni starting with Deng out. This may just be a start due to match-up reasons or to keep Hughes in his role as scorer off the bench, but if Deng is sidelined long-term with his ankle injury, Sefolosha would likely see more minutes, making him a possible viable option in deeper leagues.

News: Deng (ankle) will not play Saturday, and it is uncertain as to when he will return to action, the Associated Press reports.
Impact: Deng left Friday's game after spraining his left ankle while contesting a rebound. X-rays on the injury were negative, but Deng was limping noticeably in the locker room after the game and did not sound optimistic about a quick recovery.

News: Gordon had 15 points for the Bulls, who shot just 37 percent in their 90-77 loss at Miami on Friday.
Impact: Gordon shot 37.5 percent (6-for-16) from the field, but made three of his six attempts from 3-point range. He is averaging 20.6 points on 45.3 percent shooting this season. He's also connected on 41.0 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.

News: Gordon had 15 points for the Bulls, who shot just 37 percent in their 90-77 loss at Miami on Friday.
Impact: Gordon shot 37.5 percent (6-for-16) from the field, but made three of his six attempts from 3-point range. He is averaging 20.6 points on 45.3 percent shooting this season. He's also connected on 41.0 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.

News: Rose finished with only 10 pionts on 3-for-14 shooting in the Bulls' 90-77 loss at Miami on Friday.
Impact: "They were giving me my jump shot," said Rose, who was also held to 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting in Tuesday's loss at Detroit. "I just couldn't hit them." The rookie is averaging 17.2 points on 46.5 percent shooting this season. He matched up against Michael Beasley for the first time in the regular season. The players were selected first and second overall, respectively, in this year's draft.

News: Rose finished with only 10 pionts on 3-for-14 shooting in the Bulls' 90-77 loss at Miami on Friday.
Impact: "They were giving me my jump shot," said Rose, who was also held to 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting in Tuesday's loss at Detroit. "I just couldn't hit them." The rookie is averaging 17.2 points on 46.5 percent shooting this season. He matched up against Michael Beasley for the first time in the regular season. The players were selected first and second overall, respectively, in this year's draft.

News: Nocioni (head) played 27 minutes Friday night in the Bulls' loss to the Heat.
Impact: Nocioni took an elbow to the head Thursday, but was expected to play Friday. He may be in line for extended minutes or a starting job, pending the condition of Luol Deng's sprained left ankle. Deng was forced to leave the game in the third quarter after landing awkwardly and was unable to put weight on the leg.

News: Deng left Friday's game midway through the third quarter with an apparent left ankle injury.
Impact: Deng was going up for a rebound under the basket but badly rolled his ankle and collapsed to the floor. He was carted off the court and will undergo X-rays. We'll update you when the results are known. Andres Nocioni would move into a starting role if Deng were to miss time.

News: Coach Vinny Del Negro ruled Gooden (sprained right ankle) out of all three games of the Bulls' upcoming road trip, although Gooden, a captain, will travel for support, the Chicago Tribune's Bulls blog reports.
Impact: When Gooden was injured last Friday night in Boston, the expectations was that he would be sidelined 7-to-10 days. Missing the next three games would mean that Gooden might return December 31 against Orlando, which would be 12 days from when he was first injured.

News: Nocioni took an Aaron Gray elbow to the top of his head Thursday and experienced tingling in his hands but is expected to play Friday against Miami, the Chicago Tribune's Bulls blog reports.
Impact: Coach Vinny Del Negro said the sensation subsided, but Nocioni still will undergo an MRI once the Bulls arrive in Miami to make sure no neurological damage ensued. Assuming the exam shows no abnormalities and he has no setbacks in the next day, look for him to be in the starting lineup again.

News: Thomas (concussion) returned to action Tuesday and scored 16 points with 12 rebounds in the Bulls' loss to the Pistons.
Impact: Thomas went 5-of-8 from the floor, also adding one steal and two blocks in just 27 minutes off the bench. He had missed the previous two games because of a concussion but looks recovered, although his stats will likely remain inconsistent.

News: Nocioni, starting despite the return of Tyrus Thomas, scored 18 points in the Bulls' 104-98 loss to Detroit Tuesday.
Impact: Nocioni saw 31 minutes of action and should remain a source of points, threes and boards while Drew Gooden remains out. Once Gooden comes back coupled with the return of Thomas, Nocioni will likely see a reduction of minutes.

News: Deng scored just six points on 2-for-7 shooting in the Bulls' 104-98 loss to the Pistons Tuesday, one game after sitting for the final 17 minutes.
Impact: Deng is averaging 13.5 points on 43.7 percent shooting, both his lowest totals since his rookie season in 2004-05. He has failed to reach double figures in three of his last four games. Deng has struggled finding his rhythym, either because of the offensive scheme that opens the middle for Derrick Rose or shots taken by Rose and Ben Gordon, making him a stationary jump shooter as opposed to the slashing forward he once was. As of now, the Bulls are not getting the return they hoped for when they signed Deng to a six-year, $71 million deal in July.

News: Nocioni had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls in their 104-98 loss at Detroit on Tuesday night.
Impact: Nocioni shot 70.0 percent (7-for-10) from the field, and also drained two of his four attempts from 3-point range. The Bulls have alternated wins and losses in their last four games, and Nocioni has averaged 17.8 points on 55.1 percent shooting, while picking up 6.5 boards per contest in that stretch.

News: Nocioni had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls in their 104-98 loss at Detroit on Tuesday night.
Impact: Nocioni shot 70.0 percent (7-for-10) from the field, and also drained two of his four attempts from 3-point range. The Bulls have alternated wins and losses in their last four games, and Nocioni has averaged 17.8 points on 55.1 percent shooting, while picking up 6.5 boards per contest in that stretch.

News: Hughes scored 19 points off the bench for the Bulls in their 104-98 loss at Detroit on Tuesday night.
Impact: Hughes, who also dished out five assist, shot just 37.5 percent (6-for-16) from the field and missed on three of four attempts from 3-point range, but made six of nine shots from the free-throw line. This was his highest-scoring performance since he had 24 in a Dec. 6 win over Washington. He's averaging 12.3 points this season.

News: Hughes scored 19 points off the bench for the Bulls in their 104-98 loss at Detroit on Tuesday night.
Impact: Hughes, who also dished out five assist, shot just 37.5 percent (6-for-16) from the field and missed on three of four attempts from 3-point range, but made six of nine shots from the free-throw line. This was his highest-scoring performance since he had 24 in a Dec. 6 win over Washington. He's averaging 12.3 points this season.

News: Thomas, who missed the past two games after leaving last Wednesday's contest with a concussion, sat out practice Monday, although he di