Game's a non-starter for Nash, Diaw, P.J.

PHOENIX -- The Bulls and Phoenix Suns were without starters Sunday. Bulls forward/center P.J. Brown, who had one of his better games of the season Friday at Golden State, was out with back spasms. The Suns, meanwhile, played their third consecutive game without two-time league MVP Steve Nash (right shoulder inflammation), and forward Boris Diaw also was out with back spasms.

The Suns thought Nash would be back by Sunday, but he was ruled out after the team's morning shootaround.

Bulls coach Scott Skiles said Brown would've been helpful in guarding 6-10 center Amare Stoudemire (19.8 points per game).

''But if you had to pick a game to lose one big man, Phoenix makes you play small so much,'' said Skiles, who gave rookie Tyrus Thomas his third start.

With the Feb. 22 trade deadline looming, Brown, 37, could be closing in on his final games with the Bulls. After going public earlier in the season with a desire to be moved, Brown backed off those statements. Still, his expiring $8 million annual contract, along with his recent play, could lead to a deal.

Brown said he's not concerned.

''There's no reason to worry about it,'' he said Sunday. ''You just have to let it run its course.''

Skiles said Brown has been an ''all-around good team player'' while averaging 5.6 points and 4.8 rebounds, both lows in his 14-year career.

''He's been good for us in general all year,'' Skiles said. ''He defends his spot every night. He's very reliable in that regard. He's been making his shot more of late. We're going to miss him. I hope it's just tonight. We're hopeful the other guys can piece it together without him.''

FALL GUYS? NBA vice president Stu Jackson, the league's de facto disciplinarian, has expressed concern over players ''flopping'' to draw foul calls. One solution some coaches have suggested is to have referees assess technical fouls on the floppers, something Skiles sees as possibly problematic.

''I would never want to put the burden on the referees to have to judge if a guy's flopping,'' he said. ''I don't think we want to go in that direction. The best thing to do is let the refs judge it. If they think a guy's flopping, don't give him the call. If a guy flops on a charge/block and the layup's made and he's lying on the ground and they didn't call it, he shouldn't have flopped. He should have blocked the shot.

''The refs do a good job. If they think a guy's flopping, they'll just tell him to get up and they won't blow the whistle.''

SERIOUS SCOUTING: No detail is too minor for Skiles' staff when it comes to pregame points. Among the seven Suns players the scouting report had bulleted as three-point shooters was Eric Piatkowski, who was with the Bulls last season.

bhanley@suntimes.com