Thomas ill again, likely to miss Cavaliers game

Tyrus Thomas showed up at the Berto Center before practice Wednesday but was still sick and was sent home for a second straight day.

He didn't accompany the team when it departed for Cleveland on Wednesday afternoon. Although it seems highly unlikely, there's a remote chance he could travel on his own today and join the team in time for the game with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

''He's at home,'' coach Vinny Del Negro said after practice. ''He'll see the doctor [Wednesday] and [today], and then we'll re-evaluate and see if he can fly to Cleveland.

''But he's pretty sick still. He's got the flu, sore throat, the whole thing.''

Besides allowing him to get rest, Thomas was sent home both days so he wouldn't infect anyone else on the team. ''Exactly,'' Del Negro said. ''That's why he's not here.''

All the other players had been off the Berto Center court for a half- hour after practice, but Derrick Rose was still running and shooting layups with assistant Randy Brown.

''They're just trying to get me back in condition,'' Rose said. ''That's my biggest concern, and the organization's biggest concern is getting me back in shape. It's coming along.''

The ankle injury that caused Rose to miss almost the entire preseason is progressing nicely.

''Physically, I think he's fine,'' Del Negro said. ''Conditioning is the issue. The way we need him to guard the ball, the way we need him to push his body and the way we need him to push the offense, that's why he needs to continue to work after practice and get better every day.

''I still need to monitor his minutes [during games] and try to build it from there.''