Andres Nocioni sported a small gash over his right eye at practice Thursday, courtesy of an Eddy Curry elbow.
If Nocioni looks like a boxer, the appearance is fitting because he will have a fight on his hands Friday night guarding Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony.
“Denver plays a lot of one-on-one, so he has to be ready,” coach Scott Skiles said.
IN RESERVE: Rookie Luol Deng struggled against Golden State with five turnovers and 1-for-5 shooting. Though Deng is the team’s leading scorer at 16.7 points per game, Skiles said there are no plans to move him into the starting lineup.
LAYUPS: Knicks President Isiah Thomas strongly denied a report in Thursday’s Tribune that he included forward Michael Sweetney in trade talks regarding Curry. The Knicks remain interested in Curry. … Curry, Kirk Hinrich and Tyson Chandler represent the Bulls on the league’s All-Star ballot.
