--Coach Vinny Del Negro shook up the starting lineup for the season opener, using Thabo Sefolosha at shooting guard instead of Kirk Hinrich. Sefolosha ended up playing less than 12 minutes, but Hinrich had started 376 of 389 games during his five years with the Bulls. "I just thought with Larry (Hughes) being out and Ben (Gordon) missing most of training camp, Thabo gives us more size in the backcourt," Del Negro said. "I felt Kirk coming off the bench helps our second unit a little bit. Like I said all along, we're going to have flexibility with the starting lineup."
--After earning his first coaching victory of any kind in Tuesday's win over Milwaukee, the players presented coach Vinny Del Negro with the game ball. Since retiring as a player, Del Negro worked as a broadcaster for the Spurs and a scout for the Suns before the Bulls made an unconventional choice for head coach last June. "It feels great to get the first win opening night," he said. "But really, it's not about me. It's about the Chicago Bulls to me. It's about the whole organization, the fan base, the tradition. That's what I'm most concerned about is representing that in the right way." --Even with the win over Milwaukee, the Bulls are just 3-10 in home openers since the championship era ended in 1998.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "When you're a point guard, turnovers really get to you. You don't want turnovers and you don't want to lose. I don't really care about points, but I care about assists because (that means) I'm finding my teammates open," -- Guard Derrick Rose, after posting nine assists and four turnovers in his official NBA debut against Milwaukee on Tuesday.
