ORLANDO, Fla. -- Luol Deng (strained right calf) is definitely out for tonight's game against the Orlando Magic, but rookie Taj Gibson will give it a go despite battling plantar fasciitis.

"It's still sore," Gibson said following the Bulls' shootaround at Amway Arena. "I'm gonna fight through it. I'll get treatment and keep playing. Whatever minutes I'm can give, I'm gonna give."

Rookie James Johnson will start in place of Deng at small forward.

The Bulls will be playing without two starters (Deng and center Joakim Noah), but Johnson believes the remaining players still can get some things accomplished.

"We've got Derrick Rose on the team and he's a great leader and he makes all of us compete harder," Johnson said. "We're a team and we want to help each other win so there's no excuse for who's hurt or what kind of a stretch we've got. We've got an All-Star on the team."

Deng is on the trip and hasn't been officially ruled out of Friday's game in Miami. But the chances of him playing are slim. Because the Bulls don't play again until Tuesday, it makes sense to hold him out so he will get an extra four days of rest.