A popular perception around the NBA is that Bulls' cCoach Scott Skiles comes with an expiration date.

The theory is Skiles pushes his players hard, and it works for a while, but they eventually begin to tune him out. Now some critics have concluded that could be an explanation for the Bulls' 3-10 start this season.

Asked about the issue following Thursday's practice at the Berto Center, Skiles stated confidently that it doesn't exist.

"I've never personally thought I ever even came close to (going over) an edge," he said. "You've got to be careful. If a team trades a player and a player says things, you've got to be careful what you're buying into. That's just the nature of pro sports."

Skiles was referring to repeated negative comments in the past from guard Jason Kidd, who spent two years with Skiles in Phoenix. The Suns' demise in 2001-02 coincided with the trade that sent Kidd to New Jersey for Stephon Marbury.

"Now, if I had people every day, my assistants and so forth, tell me, 'Hey man, you're getting near the edge. You've got to knock it back a few notches,' then I would put some credence into it," Skiles added. "But I haven't, and I don't. (The criticism) doesn't bother me hardly at all anymore."

A popular theory for the Bulls' disappointing start is that players are tuning out fifth-year Coach Scott Skiles.  According to the players, however, this is not true.

"I don't think that's true," guard Ben Gordon said. "Everybody here knows what he wants. We all know what we're supposed to do and how we're going to win games, and that's to get back to what made us successful in the past. I don't think anybody is tuning him out."

"I guess that happens at this level. But with this team, we haven't experienced that. Guys are just frustrated with losing. When you're losing, nobody is happy and nobody wants to deal with it. It comes down to coaches and players, all of us, trying to do what we can to help us win more games. If we win, you won't hear all that speculation."

Both publicly and privately, players say Skiles and his staff are more direct than domineering. They say Skiles holds people accountable but does so fairly and with open communication.

To continue his relief efforts for Louisiana residents devastated by Hurricane Katrina, Chicago Bulls guard Chris Duhon announced today he will make a personal donation of $100,000 to construct basketball courts in New Orleans and his hometown of Slidell, La. Duhon also challenges Bulls fans to join his lead this holiday season to help the New Orleans and Slidell rebuilding efforts.

Through Duhon?s Stand Tall Foundation, he launched ?Operation 21,? a project to refurbish 21 outside basketball courts in New Orleans and Slidell. The project will include five courts in Slidell and the remaining 16 courts in New Orleans, beginning in East New Orleans where Duhon participated in recreational programs such as basketball, football, track and baseball at an early age.

?As families are returning to their homes after Hurricane Katrina, recreation programs are starting up again, but outside activities are limited because of the conditions of the courts in the communities,? said Duhon. ?We believe in New Orleans and we?re committed to do what we can.?

Scottie Pippen will play a basketball game in Sweden for the Sundsvall Dragons in January.

The former Chicago Bulls' great will join the team in northeastern Sweden for the Jan. 11 game against rival Akropol. The deal came about because Bulls' Assistant Coach Mike Wilhelm is friendly with Sundsvall Dragons' chairman Anders Ohrn.

"We established a relationship with Mike Wilhelm in 1980 when he was an exchange student here in town," Ohrn said Tuesday. "He is the agent for our juniors."

A former beverage manager at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas has sued Dennis Rodman, claiming the former NBA star assaulted her in March 2006 by rubbing up against her body and slapping her on the buttocks.

In her federal lawsuit filed this week, Sara Robinson also accused her former employer of retaliating against her after she complained about Rodman's behavior.

Rodman spokeswoman Shannon Barr declined to comment Saturday.

In her complaint, Robinson said she was working in the resort's Cuba Libre bar when Rodman, a hotel guest, began "making a scene" by trying to climb atop the bar after failing to gain her full attention.

"As Robinson stepped around the bar, Rodman grabbed her, pulled her towards him and rubbed his body against hers," the lawsuit alleges. "Robinson tried to get free from Rodman's grasp at which time he assaulted her by reaching down and slapping her open-handed on the bottom."

A former beverage manager at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas has sued Dennis Rodman, claiming the former NBA star assaulted her in March 2006 by rubbing up against her body and slapping her on the buttocks.

In her federal lawsuit filed this week, Sara Robinson also accused her former employer of retaliating against her after she complained about Rodman's behavior.

Rodman spokeswoman Shannon Barr declined to comment Saturday.

In her complaint, Robinson said she was working in the resort's Cuba Libre bar when Rodman, a hotel guest, began "making a scene" by trying to climb atop the bar after failing to gain her full attention.

"As Robinson stepped around the bar, Rodman grabbed her, pulled her towards him and rubbed his body against hers," the lawsuit alleges. "Robinson tried to get free from Rodman's grasp at which time he assaulted her by reaching down and slapping her open-handed on the bottom."

Halfway through an answer to a question about his playing rotation, Bulls' Coach Scott Skiles abruptly changed the subject, unsolicited.

"And let me say something else on the record since you [reporters] are here: I was way too harsh in my comments toward Tyrus," Skiles said. "And I apologized to him personally. I felt really bad about that. I didn't mean for that to come out the way it did. I wasn't misquoted or anything. But I felt bad about it."

At Tuesday morning's shootaround in Denver, Skiles strongly criticized Tyrus Thomas' lack of focus and attention to detail.

"We ask him to sprint the floor," Skiles said. "To my knowledge in his career he hasn't done it one time. Not one time."

Wednesday, Skiles appeared to show some uncharacteristic emotion during his apology.

"It was a mistake on my part," Skiles said. "It's hard when you say something, and you're quoted accurately to back up and say, 'I didn't mean it that way.' But that is honestly the case. I had a little something else going on, got distracted and I was way too harsh."

Bulls' Coach Scott Skiles has said repeatedly the reasons for his team's prolonged shooting slump are mental.

But when asked before the Bulls faced the Nuggets on Tuesday why Tyrus Thomas' playing time had been reduced in the previous two games -- he played less than 22 minutes combined against the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers -- Skiles cited the second-year forward's effort.

"We ask [Thomas] to sprint the floor," Skiles said. "To my knowledge, in his career he hasn't done it one time -- not one time. You guys, sit and watch the game tonight. If he gets in there, is he jogging or is he sprinting the floor?"

"I've got to not only look for, especially young guys, can someone help me win a game tonight and balance that against trying to get him to be a high, high-level player. He's not going to be if he doesn't do that one thing. If he did that, that's about all he has to do -- change ends like a train."

"We have not been able to get him to do that."

Sunday night at Staples Center would have been Kobe Bryant's homecoming, had the rumors that peaked a few weeks ago become reality and the Lakers had dealt Bryant to the Chicago Bulls for a multi-player package.

Bryant outscored the Bulls, 9-2 in the first 7 minutes 13 seconds of the third quarter.

Bryant finished with a team-high 18 points and had three assists and five rebounds in 32 minutes as the Lakers rode a 61-point second half to a 106-78 win over the Luol Deng-less Bulls. Bryant left Staples Center as he entered it -- a member of the Lakers for now and for the foreseeable future.

He still may be dealt at the trade deadline or next summer, but the immediate chances of a deal between the Lakers and the Bulls have evaporated.

"It's over. It's dead. Dead story," Bulls Coach Scott Skiles said.

Lakers' center Kwame Brown was helped off the court Sunday night after injuring his left leg in the first quarter of a game against the Bulls.

Lakers' spokesman John Black said Brown sustained moderate sprains of his left ankle and knee when Bulls' center Ben Wallace fell into him under the Los Angeles basket with 8:18 left in the opening period.

Black said X-rays were negative, adding the Lakers would probably have a better idea Monday about the severity of the injuries.