Instead, the comment probably will pass for reasons that go beyond its validity. After all, Detroit is just 10-11 since acquiring Allen Iverson.

With Detroit trying to find its identity and the Bulls not even sure who will be available, attention Tuesday night in Auburn Hills, Mich., will be focused on the locker rooms, not quasi-bulletin-board material. Also, with Iverson and Derrick Rose, both teams are more about speed than roughness.

With Drew Gooden out with a sprained right ankle and Tyrus Thomas a game-time decision because of lingering effects from his concussion, look for the Bulls to turn Rose loose again in an array of smallish lineups.

Utilizing Rose's talents is fine with Gordon.

"Derrick's one of the best finishers in the league already from the guard position," the Bulls' leading scorer said. "His strongest attribute is attacking the rim."

Rose, who likely will take defensive turns on Iverson and Rodney Stuckey, is concentrating on the other end. He said for the Bulls to improve their woeful 3-11 road mark, defense and rebounding are imperative.

Still, Rose did let slip some excitement over seeing Iverson for the first time.

"It's going to be fun," he said. "He's one of the best talents in the NBA. It's going to be a challenge."

Gordon chimed in on Iverson as well, perhaps making up for his unintended earlier barb. "He's unstoppable if he gets going," Gordon said.

And really, the only way for the Bulls to win these days is to get into offensive shootouts. They've topped 100 points in seven of their last eight games -- and allowed more than 100 the same number of times. That's why smaller, more offensive-oriented lineups have appealed to coach Vinny Del Negro.

"We can't control the paint as well as anyone would like right now, so we have to score," he said. "We haven't been as consistent defensively as we'd like.

"But if you can gang-rebound and get out and make them guard you and spread them out a bit with the smaller lineup, at times it can be to our advantage."

It certainly worked against a Utah team that featured a jump-shooting center in Mehmet Okur. Pistons big man Rasheed Wallace also likes to hoist three-pointers but is equally effective posting up and shooting a virtually unblockable fadeaway.

Hey, if you can't guard them, outscore them.

Gordon said a high-scoring offense "is the identity we wanted to have at the start of the season. I don't think we're there yet. But we definitely have the ability to play that way. We just have to get better at that style."

kcjohnson@tribune.com

The stories of 2008: The Tribune is asking for your help to select the Top 10 local and national/international sports stories of the year. The results, which will include votes from readers and the staff of the Tribune Sports section, will appear in the Dec. 28 Tribune. You can vote online at chicagotribune.com/2008sports. Voting will close Christmas Day at 5 p.m.