Two days after saying, "I'm not at that stage yet," in response to a question regarding possible lineup changes, Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro, having reached said "stage," made a pair of changes to the starting five.

Kirk Hinrich replaced guard Thabo Sefolosha against Phoenix on Friday, and Aaron Gray started in place of Tyrus Thomas.

Del Negro said before the game the moves had nothing to do with the team's two-game losing streak or recent negative comments made by Luol Deng and Ben Gordon.

"I just felt it was time to do that," the first-year coach said Friday. "I have said all along that the starting five would change periodically. Whatever works the best, that's what we're going to go with. It wasn't because we lost, nor was it because of anything anybody said. I just felt it was time. And it could be time tomorrow to [change the starting lineup] again. I don't know."

Asked if the moves signaled a "philosophical" switch, Del Negro quipped, "I'm not that smart." The changes, he insisted, were not referendums on Sefolosha or Thomas, although Sefolosha did not play in the first half, but were necessary because a couple of lackluster starts.

"You're thinking way too much," Del Negro said. "I spend a lot of time on [the starting lineup], but really not that much. You just make decisions, and you go with it. We'll see how it works tonight. We'd like to get off to a good start. We haven't been doing that [lately]."

Hinrich and Gray failed to have an effect on the first quarter – they combined for no points and four fouls in 11 minutes – but the Bulls played well en route to grabbing a three-point lead after one quarter.

Thomas starred with 10 points and five rebounds in the second quarter, when the Bulls ran out to a 17-point lead. Gray, however, came on to start the third quarter.

"Too much emphasis is placed on the starting lineup," Del Negro stressed.

Overtime: Phoenix center Shaquille O'Neal was inactive Friday. The Suns travel to Milwaukee today – coach Terry Porter said he felt O'Neal, who is not hurt, would be a better fit against the Bucks. "In some of our back-to-backs, we'll try to give him a little rest," Porter said. "We're just giving him the night off. He wants to be on the floor with his teammates, but we have to keep him fresh." ... Drew Gooden, Deng and Derrick Rose remained in the starting lineup. ... The victory kept the Bulls unbeaten at the United Center. The last time the team began a season 3-0 at home was 1997-98, or Michael Jordan's last year with the franchise.