The Bulls are starting to look like teams in the NFC North -- key players dropping like the proverbial flies. The Bulls might have been able to handle Joakim Noah's injury better if Taj Gibson could have replaced him in the starting lineup, but now, Gibson is also out after having suffered a concussion in the loss to the Clippers on Saturday night.
Coach Tom Thibodeau was quoted as saying that Gibson would accompany the team on its trip to Washington for Wednesday night's game against the Wizards, and that his playing tomorrow would likely be a game-time decision. In the meantime, Kurt Thomas will start at center tonight and be backed up by Omer Asik.
Otherwise, the easy thing to do would be to assume that the Bulls could wipe the floor with the Sixers, who are only 3-10 on the road and 11-16 overall. Their road wins have come against the Knicks, Nets and Magic, who they defeated on Saturday night as the Bulls were losing to the Clippers. Of course, the Magic were playing shorthanded after their big trade on Saturday.
The Bulls will have to go into this game better focused, so it doesn't come down to Derrick Rose having to make a free throw in the last second of the game just to tie. The Bulls will also be playing for the second straight game against a former coach, Doug Collins.
Tonight's game begins at 7 p.m. CST and will be televised on CSN Chicago.