Chris Duhon not only will play tonight when the Bulls open the season against the Charlotte Bobcats at the United Center, but the second-year guard also will help lead the team as one of its three captains.

"I'm ready to go; it felt good today,'' said Duhon, who suffered a concussion and injuries to his neck and shoulder when he took a hard fall in the last preseason game Oct. 26 at Minnesota. "Some things you just have to fight through. I still have a little pain. It's nothing that's going to keep me out.''

Particularly after the team voted him and 10-year veteran forward Othella Harrington as new captains Tuesday, joining guard Kirk Hinrich.

"It means a lot,'' said Duhon, who was one of two Bulls to play all 82 games last season. "It means I have their respect and their confidence that I can get the job done. I can help motivate them, and they know they can count on me to come out and play at a high level all the time. The whole thing in preseason is we've just been looking for some leadership, some direction. The three captains, that's our role, to provide that leadership and that stability for the team whenever we go out and play.''