Kenny Thomas returned to the starting lineup and Steve Francis returned to the court. But after most of one game, they both left again.

This time, the maladies should not cost more than one game. After playing Friday for the first time since Nov. 25, Francis was forced to miss Sunday's game against the Lakers with the flu.

Thomas missed three games with a sore groin and came off the bench in one game before starting and scoring 20 points with 13 rebounds at Golden State. But he suffered a hip pointer that forced him to miss Sunday's game.