There's no truth that the lack of hot water for showers Thursday at the Berto Center served as punishment for the Bulls' woeful road record.
But at 3-13 away from the United Center and with a three-game trip starting Friday night in Miami, the practice facility's water isn't the only thing that needs to Heat up. Coach Vinny Del Negro said both the offense and defense have been poor at start of games. The Bulls have trailed by double digits in the first quarter of four straight games overall and three straight road games.
"You have to rebound and play physical all the time, but especially on the road," he said. "We're not real efficient to start the game. We dig ourselves big holes.
"You can pinpoint any reason -- a lack of size, poor shooting, poor execution. We have to find ways to keep ourselves in the game earlier because we spend so much energy getting back in the game.
"Our defense, no question, has a lot of room to improve. We've switched up a few things. But we have to do a better job of controlling the paint. Without Drew [Gooden] in there, that's not easy to do. And we weren't very good at it with him. There's continual work to do."
Marketing man: Heat guard Dwyane Wade is a high-profile pitchman for many products. That's something, beyond the similarities of their games, that Derrick Rose wouldn't mind emulating.
This would seem to run counter to Rose's laid-back demeanor. But Rose, who recently shot commercials for shoe and sporting goods companies, gave a colorful answer for why raising his off-court profile intrigues him.
"I really want to market myself so people don't think I'm mean or stuck up," he said.
"People say I'm mean because I don't talk enough."
As for talk from Wade that Rose is more athletic, the rookie laughed nervously when informed of the superstar's praise.
"I appreciate him saying that, but he's way more athletic than me," Rose said. "I'm amazed at what he does."
Layups: Andres Nocioni experienced tingling in his hands after taking an inadvertent Aaron Gray elbow to the head during practice. Del Negro said the sensation subsided by practice's end. Still, the Bulls will give Nocioni an MRI to rule out any neurological effects. Del Negro assumed Nocioni would play Friday. ... Gooden will travel but not play on the three-game trip. His sprained right ankle remains swollen. ... Rose ranks seventh among Eastern Conference guards in the latest All-Star ballot returns.
kcjohnson@tribune.com
Big question: Can Bulls land big man?
The readers ask (about Brad Miller and others), so K.C. Johnson answers: chicagotribune.com/fullcourtpress
