After a controversial loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said he would like to see video replay expanded so referees could review more calls late in games.

Thibodeau angrily barked at referees late in Monday’s game after a Kosta Koufos tip-in in the final minute wasn’t reviewed but a Joakim Noah tip-in with 1.7 seconds left in overtime was checked. The explanation given to Thibodeau at the time was that the Koufos play couldn’t be reviewed because it was not called at the time on the floor. The Noah play was called, according to the officials — despite Thibodeau’s appeal — and the ruling was upheld.

Thibodeau would like to see the technology used more in the future.

– Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Comcast SportsNet Chicago Bulls analyst Kendall Gill has been removed temporarily from his on-air duties after a physical altercation with Big Ten Network analyst Tim Doyle in the CSN newsroom Tuesday evening.

The incident followed the taping of “Sports Talk Live,” a panel discussion on Comcast SportsNet Chicago that featured me, Mr. Doyle and Chicago Sun-Times reporter Herb Gould. Mr. Gill confronted Mr. Doyle in the newsroom over critical comments he had made on the air about Mr. Gill’s analysis of the controversial final moments of Monday’s Chicago Bulls-Denver Nuggets game. The referees ruled that what at first appeared to be a last-second basket by the Bulls would not be allowed, thus giving the win to the Nuggets.

The altercation happened right in front of me as Mr. Doyle and I were walking through the CSN newsroom on our way out of the building.

– Reported by Danny Ecker of Chicago Business / Crain’s Blog

The Chicago Bulls today signed Los Angeles D-Fenders forward Malcolm Thomas to a 10-day contract.

Thomas is one of 122 players on NBA rosters with NBA D-League experience.

Thomas (6-9, 225, San Diego State) returns to the NBA following a 10-day stint with the Golden State Warriors.  During that earlier Call-Up, he played in five games for Golden State, scoring three points in 21 minutes and was assigned to the team’s NBA D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, for one game when he scored eight points in 39 minutes.  Prior to earning the call from the Warriors, Thomas played in one game for the D-Fenders, a 99-86 victory over the Texas Legends on March 6, when he scored 13 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in 41 minutes.

A veteran of 19 regular season games last season with the D-Fenders, Thomas averaged 13.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 32.3 minutes during that stretch.  In seven postseason games for the team during the 2011-12 season, he averaged 17.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 34.6 minutes, as the D-Fenders advanced to the 2012 NBA D-League Finals.  He also saw NBA D-League action with the Austin Toros and Rio Grande Valley Vipers on assignment last season.

Today’s “Call-Up” to Chicago marks the fourth of Thomas’ career, including earning the call from Golden State earlier this year and signing with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets from the D-Fenders last season.  He has scored four NBA career points in 36 minutes over eight games.

Thomas is expected to join the Bulls today and be available when the team hosts the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, March 21.

After tiptoeing around the question last week, coach Tom Thibodeau on Monday didn’t rule out that Richard Hamilton could be sidelined for the remainder of the season with his back injury.

“There’s an unknown,” Thibodeau said. “It’s a back, so those things are tricky. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Hamilton missed his ninth straight game. The veteran guard was a surprise late scratch before the Feb. 28 home game against the 76ers after scoring six points in 18 minutes on Feb. 26 against the Cavaliers.

Hamilton has missed 59 of 132 games since signing his two-year, $10 million deal, which carries a $1 million buyout for next season’s team option.

– Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Embarrassed one game, handing out humiliation the next.

Such is life for the Chicago Bulls right now.

Luol Deng scored 23 points, Carlos Boozer had 21 points and nine rebounds, and the banged-up Bulls bounced back from their most lopsided loss of the season to whip the Golden State Warriors 113-95 on Friday night.

”I do know we have pride,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. ”We’ve taken a hit. We’ve lost some guys along the way. Our guys will battle. We know that we’re short-handed. But if we have the right intensity and we do it collectively, we have a chance. And we’ve shown it throughout the year.”

Maybe this week more than any other.

Two nights after a 121-79 shellacking at Sacramento that renewed calls for Derrick Rose’s return, the Bulls outscored the Warriors 38-17 in the third quarter en route to snapping a season-high, five-game road losing streak. They led by 36 points early in the fourth quarter before both sides cleared the benches.

Nate Robinson added 20 points and seven assists, while Joakim Noah finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago, which had lost four of five overall. The Bulls outshot the Warriors 52 to 45 percent and won the rebounding battle 43-34, though the final box score hardly showed how much of a blowout the game really was.

– Reported by Antonio Gonzalez of the Associated Press

Speaking on the 10-month anniversary of surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Derrick Rose said Tuesday he still isn’t sure if he will play this season but has suffered no setbacks during his rehabilitation.

“I’m waiting to that day where I feel normal,” Rose said before a practice at UCLA. “Until then, I will just wait. I haven’t had any pressure from the organization. No one has to push me to go out there to play.

“My teammates have been doing great, playing hard for me. They’re out there fighting so that’s a good sign. And we’re winning games. So I’m not worried about anything right now.”

Rose said he can do everything physically, downplayed the hubbub over recent comments about his hamstring pain and said the main hurdle he has to clear is the mental one.

“I can do everything,” Rose said. “It’s just me having the confidence to do it and me feeling normal.”

– Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

A new development may help explain why Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is still hesitant to return to the court.

ESPN’s Doris Burke spoke with the former MVP before Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and reported that although Rose has been taking full contact in practice for well over a month, his hamstrings are “on fire” after those workouts. Rose added that he won’t return to the court until he’s past those issues.

A team source told ESPNChicago.com on Friday that one reason why Rose has been hesitant to play despite being medically cleared is because he still is struggling to dunk the same way off his surgically repaired left knee.

– Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman denied Saturday that there is any kind of  communications rift between Derrick Rose’s camp and the organization regarding the return date for the all-star guard from his knee injury.

“We talk all the time. We have been in communication throughout the whole process. High-level communication,” Forman told the Tribune before scouting the DePaul-Pittsburgh game at Allstate Arena.

Published comments from Rose’s older brother Reggie were critical of the Bulls organization for not adding more pieces before the trade deadline. But Forman insists the two camps remain in contact.

“From Day One, the communication has been consistent and it has been very encouraging. There have been no setbacks and (Rose) continues to make progress,” he said.

Forman said he would not comment on an ESPNChicago.com report that attributed a source as saying Rose has medical clearance to resume playing after suffering a torn ACL 10 months ago.

“I don’t comment on what a source says,” Forman replied.

– Reported by Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune

The Bulls’ charter plane experienced engine trouble roughly 20 minutes after takeoff and returned to Chicago late Saturday. Passengers heard a loud sound emanating from an engine, though most downplayed danger.

The Bulls’ traveling party went home late Saturday, borrowed the Blackhawks’ charter plane early Sunday and arrived in Indianapolis shortly before a lunch meeting and film session at the team hotel.

– Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Joakim Noah has a chair in front of his locker at the United Center. But after most games, he could use a recliner or a couch or even a bed. He’s wiped out.

”I’m tired,” Noah said after scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, with five assists and four blocked shots in the Bulls’ 96-85 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. ”Pretty tired.”

After back-to-back stellar games against the 76ers on Thursday and the Nets on Saturday, Noah’s fatigue — and the wear and tear on his right foot still being treated for plantar fasciitis — bears watching heading into Sunday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The issue of Noah’s playing time cropped up again after he played 41 minutes in a game the Bulls led by 14 points or more throughout the second half. Even Noah seemed to be wondering why he played the final 6:25 of the fourth quarter when the Bulls were leading by 19 points.

– Reported by Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times (Blog)

The Chicago Bulls today signed forward Lou Amundson (AH-mund-son) to a 10-day contract.

Amundson (6-9, 225) will be in uniform tonight (No. 17) when the Bulls host the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center at 7:00 p.m. (CT).

In his seventh season out of UNLV, Amundson has played in 308 regular season games (seven starts). During that time, he has posted averages of 3.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 0.75 bpg in 12.9 mpg. He also owns shooting averages of .493 from the field and .443 from the line.

A native of Ventura, Calif., the 30-year old forward appeared in 20 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this season. He has also played with Philadelphia (twice), Utah, Phoenix, Golden State and Indiana.

With his signing, Chicago’s roster now stands at 15.

Sports icon Michael Jordan is facing a legal battle with a woman who claims he is the father of her 16-year-old son.

The basketball legend has been sued by Pamela Smith, who filed documents in Georgia on Feb. 6 alleging she fell pregnant with Jordan’s child in 1995, and gave birth to a son, Grant, in 1996.

– Reported by the Toronto Sun

The Chicago Bulls are in talks with Louis Amundson about signing the veteran power forward, according to league sources.

A decision is expected Friday, sources told ESPN.com, with the Bulls and Amundson’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, scheduled to talk about specifics.

The Bulls are looking for an extra big man with Taj Gibson sidelined by a sprained left knee. And Chicago has just enough room under its hard salary cap of $74.307 million to sign Amundson, who is eligible to play for the Bulls in the postseason because he was waived by Minnesota before Friday’s 11:59 p.m. ET deadline.

– Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

Dion Waiters scored on jumpers, turnarounds and an assortment of moves in the lane. Shaun Livingston made a couple of a big plays in a rare start, and Wayne Ellington provided some scoring punch when the reserves were in the game.

Even without Kyrie Irving, the improving Cleveland Cavaliers had too much talent for the banged-up Chicago Bulls.

Waiters scored 25 points, Livingston added 15 in the same state where he starred in high school and the Cavs held on for a 101-98 victory on Tuesday night that snapped an 11-game losing streak against the Bulls.

”Without Kyrie, we knew it was going to be tough, period,” Cleveland coach Byron Scott said. ”But I thought guys stepped up big time.”

While Irving rested a sore right knee in street clothes on the sideline, Waiters converted a fadeaway jumper and a layup before Tyler Zeller drove along the baseline for a layup that helped Cleveland open an 87-78 lead with 7:33 left in the game…

Ellington finished with 13 points as Cleveland held on for its third win in the last four games, bouncing back from a difficult 109-105 loss at Miami on Sunday…

Carlos Boozer scored 27 points and Deng had 26 for Chicago, which has dropped five of seven. Kirk Hinrich returned to the lineup after missing three consecutive games with a lingering right elbow issue and finished with 11 points, 11 assists and six rebounds.

– Reported by Jay Cohen of the Associated Press

Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose has “made the next step” in his rehab after participating in five-on-five drills in practice, according to Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, but the organization still isn’t sure when the former MVP will return.

“The big thing is you have to recognize the intensity of practice is different than the intensity of a game,” Thibodeau said after Thursday’s shootaround as the Bulls prepared to face the Miami Heat. “So he’s made the next step, he’s got to do this for a while, there’s no timetable, he’s making good progress, he’s right where he should be, we just want him to continue to concentrate on the rehab and when he’s ready to go he’ll go.”

Rose spent some time after shootaround taking jumpers with his teammates. He said last week he “wouldn’t mind” missing the rest of the season if his knee still didn’t feel right.

Bulls center Nazr Mohammed said Rose doesn’t appear to be working like a player who might sit the season.

– Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas said Tuesday that while the debate over whether LeBron James is a better basketball player than Michael Jordan is hardly settled, James is probably the better athlete.

“They’re both great players, and they’re both great in their eras,” Thomas told “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on WMVP-AM 1000.  “In my era, we hadn’t seen an athlete quite like Michael Jordan. He jumped higher than everyone else. He was a little faster than everyone else and he was just the best athlete.

“LeBron James is the best athlete of today, and he’s probably a better athlete than Michael Jordan was. He’s bigger, he’s faster, he’s stronger.”

– Reported by the Sports Xchange

Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose participated in five-on-five drills Monday, the latest step in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after practice that Rose “did what everyone else did.”

Rose has been sidelined since he was hurt in last season’s playoff-opening win over the 76ers. The top-seeded Bulls wound up losing that series.

Rose caused a stir last week when he said he was prepared to miss the whole season rather than return too soon.

– Reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah had platelet-rich plasma treatment on his right foot Thursday to help ease the pain of plantar fasciitis.

Noah, who will play in his first All-Star Game on Sunday, said the foot is feeling better. He missed almost a week of action recently because of ongoing issues with the foot.

“I’m happy that it’s not getting any worse,” Noah said. “I did the PRP thing on Thursday morning.

“It was very painful after the treatment. I can still feel it a little bit but I think it’s helpful, so I’m hoping with some rest today and some rest tomorrow I think I’ll be OK. I won’t do too much on Sunday. I won’t play 44 minutes, I’ll put it that way.”

Noah, who had the same treatment three years ago while battling plantar fasciitis in his left foot, appeared to be in good spirits as he spoke to the assembled media.

– Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Even as he approaches his 50th birthday, Michael Jordan can still play. And the No. 2 pick in the draft will be the first to admit it.

Charlotte Bobcats rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist confessed Friday that Jordan beat him in a one-on-one game.

“It was hard for me,” Kidd-Gilchrist, almost 20, told USA Today before the Rising Stars Challenge rookie-sophomore game at All-Star Weekend. “I lost. I lost to a 50-year-old guy. … He’s the greatest man that ever played the game.

“Oh, yeah. He’s good.”

– Reported by ESPN.com

Celtics coach Doc Rivers offered Kevin Garnett the night off to get him the rest he’s losing by playing in this weekend’s All-Star game.

Good thing for the Celtics that Garnett turned it down.

The All-Star center scored eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and added 11 rebounds to help the Celtics overcome historically poor shooting and beat the Chicago Bulls 71-69 on Wednesday night.

”I’m seeing everybody in here playing through everything. I’m no different from that,” said Garnett, who played 26 minutes. ”Everybody’s tired. I felt like that was unfair. If he wasn’t going to give everybody the night off, then that wasn’t an option. I just came out and gave what I could.”

Paul Pierce went only 2 for 12 from the floor, but he hit a 3-pointer that bounced around the rim and in to give Boston a five-point lead with 3 minutes to play. The Celtics shot just 36.8 percent but still had the advantage over the Bulls, who made just 36.5 percent of their shots.

”I told them before the game I wasn’t going to play Kevin much and there was a chance I may not play him,” said Rivers, who had wanted to leave Garnett home for Monday’s game in Charlotte but got talked into playing him there. ”I told them it’s going to be an ugly game. … And this is before the game.

Joakim Noah had 10 points and 16 rebounds, and Carlos Boozer had 11 and 11 for Chicago. Reserve Marco Belinelli added 12 points in under 20 minutes for the Bulls.

– Reported by Jimmy Golen of the Associated Press