The Bulls' healthier lineup will be put to the test tonight in Charlotte. They've been absolutely miserable in the second leg of back-to-back games this season, going 0-6 with the average margin of defeat at a whopping 23.5 points.
Twice the Bulls lost by more than 30 points and their only single-digit defeat of the six was 88-81 at New York on Dec. 23.
Most of those losses happened while Tyrus Thomas was out with a broken arm and some of them when Kirk Hinrich was out with a thumb injury.
"I think we're playing with a little more depth right now," center Joakim Noah said. "I think it's definitely going to help us using our bench a little bit more. I think we're ready for the challenge, especially with what happened (against Oklahoma City)."
Charlotte (14-18) beat Cleveland and Miami on the road in its last two games and the Bobcats are 11-4 at home this season, so the Bulls face a difficult assignment.
"We're confident," Derrick Rose said. "We want to go out there and just play hard, that's our biggest thing. Some way, some how, we've just got to find a way to score and put pressure on the defense."
Thabo returns: Thabo Sefolosha played his first game at the United Center in an opposing uniform on Monday. Acquired in a draft night deal in 2006, Sefolosha never earned consistent playing time with the Bulls.
The Switzerland native was traded to Oklahoma City last Feb. 19 for a late first-round draft pick. The Bulls used the selection on Taj Gibson, who has been invaluable this season.
"I was happy going to a team that wanted me," Sefolosha said before the game. "They welcomed me with open arms. Coach (Scott Brooks) was giving me some minutes to show what I can do out there and it worked out pretty well."
The 6-foot-7 Sefolosha is starting at two guard for the Thunder in a lineup loaded with scorers. That's allowed him to play to his strength, which is doing a little of everything.
Sefolosha's mother is an artist and his father a jazz musician. So how is the Oklahoma City culture treating him? The Green Mill isn't quite the same as Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill.
"(The art museums are) not great, but they've got a little something," Sefolosha said with a laugh. "Not much jazz and blues, but it's fine."
Bull horns: The Bulls shot 35.4 percent from the field against the Thunder, their second-lowest of the season. They connected on 32.6 percent in a home loss to Boston on Dec. 12. - Kevin Durant scored 25 points Monday, but ended a streak of posting at least 30 in seven consecutive games.
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