SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Carlos Boozer voiced his frustration Monday about his lack of playing time in the fourth quarter for the Chicago Bulls.

The veteran power forward has not played in the fourth quarter in the past two games and is clearly bothered by what he perceives as a lack of opportunity from coach Tom Thibodeau.

Carlos Boozer, who is averaging 14.8 points, hasn't played in the fourth quarter of the Bulls' past two games. "It's very frustrating, especially when I've got a great game going or what have you," he said. D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty Images

"I think I should be out there," said Boozer, who is in the midst of his worst season as a Bull. "But it's [Thibodeau's] choice. He makes the decisions out there, so I play. I don't coach. He coaches. So he decides that.

"But honestly, he's been doing that a lot since I've been here, not putting me in in the fourth quarter. Sometimes we win; more times than not, we don't. But that's his choice."

Thibodeau has been going with backup forward Taj Gibson late in games, mainly because Boozer's defensive struggles have been an issue since his first season in Chicago.

Thibodeau responded before the Bulls faced the Kings, saying both players are deserving.

"Both guys are critical for our team," he said. "I'm asking Taj to sacrifice not starting. In some cases, Carlos has to sacrifice not finishing. For us to achieve what we want to achieve both guys have to play very well for us.

"Right now the way it's going the last 10 games or so with Carlos dealing with a calf injury and Taj has really come on," he added. "I can only base it on performance. So when we're going down the stretch in the fourth quarter it's always going to be the group that gives us the best chance to win."

Boozer, who is averaging 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season, said it's tough to watch the end of games from the bench. He is averaging 29.8 minutes a game. In the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, he averaged 29.5 minutes a game.

"Super tough," Boozer said. "It's very frustrating, especially when I've got a great game going or what have you. Obviously as a competitor, you want to be out there to help your team win and especially when the game is close. You can do things that can help your team win. Not being out there, all you could do is really cheer them on. But that's [Thibodeau's] choice."

"What you can't overlook is Taj is our most efficient scorer in the fourth quarter," Thibodeau said. "You're looking at a guy that's shooting 49 percent for the season in the fourth. The last five games he's shooting 58 percent. He's averaging over seven points a game [in the fourth] in the last five so he's been playing at a very, very high level.

"And when you look at the field goal percentage you're looking at a guy who's shooting 49 percent in the fourth quarter for the season. Only Mike Dunleavy is shooting [better]."