If you think Thabo Sefolosha's playing time is scarce now, just wait until Kirk Hinrich returns sometime in February from his injured right thumb.
That's not to say plenty can't change between now and then to alter Sefolosha's fortunes. For instance, the Bulls could have injuries or make a trade. But the third-year swingman is a victim of what everybody knew would be an issue even before Hinrich went down. "We have a lot of guards," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "You can't play everybody. Sometimes, it ruins the rhythm.
"It's nothing that Thabo has done. Thabo is an excellent player. He brings a lot to our team. He has had a great attitude about it. I would love to play him more. But minutes at the shooting guard, off guard and small forward spots are scarce because of the abundance of players we have there."
The only two times Sefolosha has played 24 or more minutes, he has scored in double figures. Entering Saturday, he hadn't played in four of the last five games.
"All I can do is keep working hard and hope for an opportunity," Sefolosha said.
Rotation roulette: Del Negro uses the word "matchups" so often he could work at a dating service. More seriously, the coach cites those as the reason playing time fluctuates for certain players.
"I'd like to get to a more consistent rotation," Del Negro said. "But it's hard with this team because with our versatility, matching up against other teams' lineups is the best way to go."
Layups: Drew Gooden missed his first four shots Saturday after going 1-for-16 in his previous two games. He stemmed the tide with a second-quarter dunk. ... Aaron Gray turns 24 Sunday. ... How important is it for the Bulls to play well offensively? Entering Saturday, they were 2-8 when failing to reach 100 points.
