Bulls' Tony Snell no stranger to changes in his playing time

Feb. 12--Depending on the availability of Jimmy Butler, who is listed as questionable and unlikely to play, Tony Snell could either start or sit the entire game Thursday against the Cavaliers.

"I've been through it last year. It's nothing new," Snell said. "You just have to stay ready at all times."

Four times during Mike Dunleavy's 19-game absence, Snell didn't play at all. Two of those came after starts.

"It's all based on performance," coach Tom Thibodeau said.

The perseverance of Snell, who scored a career-high 24 points against the Kings on Tuesday, hasn't been lost on teammates.

"He always lets me know he's going to be OK by how hard he works," Derrick Rose said. "No matter what goes on, he has his head up."

Shark tank: In 1992, Jerry Tarkanian hired Tom Thibodeau for his second NBA job after Thibodeau's tenure with the Timberwolves under Bill Musselman had ended. So it wasn't surprising that Thibodeau gushed about the Hall of Fame coach, who died Wednesday at 84.

"All-time great coach. Great person. Believed in giving people second chances," Thibodeau said. "The run that he had throughout, to win the way he won his entire career, says how great he is.

"I had an opportunity to coach Larry Johnson and was around a lot of players who played for him. The way they talked about him and the way he cared about them, even when they were done playing, tells you a lot about him."

Thibodeau said Tarkanian's knowledge of the game and ability to communicate with players impressed him.

"His players were all fiercely loyal to him, and he was fiercely loyal to them," he said.

Layups: The Bulls practiced for only an hour Wednesday, spending roughly 20 minutes on the court. ... In Sunday's All-Star Game, Pau Gasol will be teammates with LeBron James for the first time. "Right now, I see him as an opponent and a team that I want to beat badly," Gasol said in a nod to Thursday's matchup. ... Nikola Mirotic turned 24. ... As of Wednesday, Butler's plans to attend All-Star weekend remained unchanged. But the situation is fluid, especially his participation in Saturday's Skills Challenge.