Deng back in action for GBR

Bulls forward Luol Deng joined up with the Great Britain national team in its quest to qualify for next year's European championships.

The result was 32 points and 9 rebounds by Deng as the Brits beat Hungary 91-82. Great Britain has seven more games this month, home-and-homes in a group that also includes Macedonia, Ukraine, plus Bosnia and Herzegovena.

Deng helped Britain qualify for last year's European championships, but couldn't play because he was recovering from a stress fracture in his shin. Without him, Britain failed to qualify for the FIBA World Championships, which start later this month.

The goal now is for Britain to show enough competence to earn an automatic berth as the host country in the 2012 Olympics.

In case you're wondering, ex-Bulls guard Ben Gordon is not playing for Great Britain. He said he would, but had surgery to remove bone spurs in his left ankle after the season and isn't fit to play. Former Illinois center Robert Archibald, a mainstay on the British national team, is also out with an injury.

I wondered why former Bulls forward Kornel David isn't playing for Hungary. The answer is he's 38 now and retired.

HOLIDAY PLAY FOR BULLS?
The NBA decided to claim Christmas Day as its own last year with, I think, five games on TV. The New York Daily News reported the Knicks will host the Bulls this season on Christmas, just like in the glory days.

The early part of the schedule, plus the Christmas and Martin Luther King Day games will be announced Tuesday on NBA TV.