Man, it's been a long time since I was able to make the assuredly regrettable decision to set-aside time for Bulls basketball. (let alone the time to create a game thread...)
Are the Nets still the Bulls arch-nemesis now that Kidd and Skiles are gone?
The crown jewel of the Nets' haul from Dallas, Devin Harris, won't be back tonight or for a couple weeks after that. If the other guys play, the net result is Kidd, Allen, and Wright going out and Diop, Hassell, Mo Ager coming in. Also it means lots of minutes for Marcus Williams, which usually works out for the opponent.
The crown jewel of "discussion topics most likely to get BaB commenters calling eachother names", Ben Gordon, is reportedly back tonight as well. Deng is a maybe.
Between Gordon's return, Thabo's 'emergence', Boylan wanting guys to 'earn jobs back', Gordon's anointment as 'bench player earned and forever', I foresee 30 minutes for Chris Duhon. Lots of 3-guard lineups (at least with Thabo this time), meaning Tyrus Thomas gets his few ill-fitting minutes at the 3 pinched. Then Boylan will yarble some crap postgame about 'seeing other guys'.
Despite fearing all these things, I'm happy Ben Gordon's back.