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CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng, who missed the last two games with a bruised hip, is expected to play limited minutes against the New York Knicks on Thursday night.

After Deng went through Thursday's shootaround in preparation for a matchup with the New York Knicks, coach Tom Thibodeau said, "He did everything."

"It feels good to have a few people back and just knowing we're going into (the Knicks game) strong and trying to protect our home floor, trying to get a win," Jimmy Butler said.

Marco Belinelli, who has been nursing an abdominal strain, will also be in action Thursday night, as will Richard Hamilton, who returned to action Tuesday after a long stint on the bench while nursing a bulging disc in his lower back.

Joakim Noah, who has missed nine of the past 10 games with plantar fasciitis is out. Taj Gibson (knee) and Derrick Rose (knee) are also out.

CHICAGO -- Carmelo Anthony on Thursday implored the media and fans to have patience with Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose in his return from knee surgery and the New York Knicks forward believes Rose should sit out the rest of the season.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau wants his injury-plagued team to focus on simply playing well together, not snapping another team's streak Thursday when they play the New York Knicks, winners of 13 straight.

"We're not worried about streaks," Thibodeau said after Wednesday's practice. "We're worried about the Knicks. They've had a great season, they've played at a very high level. They spread you out and shoot a lot of threes. They've got a great player in (Carmelo) Anthony that requires your entire team to focus in on but you can't lose sight of all the others that they have that are very talented and they can all play make, put it on the floor, they can shoot. So they're a talented team, a deep team."

The Bulls have already snapped one long winning streak this season, ending the Miami Heat's 27-game run on March 27, but guard Kirk Hinrich just wants them to get back on track after losses to the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors.

"I think the satisfaction would just be to beat the New York Knicks," Hinrich said. "They're a great team. We just want to be playing better basketball."

In order to do that, slowing down Anthony, who is averaging 40.6 points in five April games, will be key.

"A guy like Carmelo, it has to be a team effort (to stop him)," Hinrich said. "He's going to get his. He's going to get his shots, he's going to get his points, you just have to try and do the best job you can on him."

Injury update: The Bulls just did a walk-through on Wednesday and it appears not much has changed on the injury front. Richard Hamilton and Marco Belinelli have responded fine to playing. Taj Gibson is still working his way back from a knee injury and figures to be out a little longer. The same goes for Joakim Noah, who could very likely miss the rest of the regular season because of plantar fasciitis in his foot. Derrick Rose's status remains unchanged.

As for Luol Deng (hip), Thibodeau hopes he will be back on the floor soon, but isn't sure if Deng will make his return Thursday night.

"He feels a little bit better, but we'll see where he is (Thursday)," Thibodeau said. "I don't want to jump the gun on anything. I just want him to be healthy."

New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler and power forward Kenyon Martin will miss Thursday's game against the Chicago Bulls, the team announced Wednesday.

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CHICAGO -- Despite playing some inconsistent basketball of late, the Chicago Bulls won’t lack for confidence when they face the streaking New York Knicks on Thursday at the United Center.

Sure the Knicks are on a 13-game winning streak, but the Bulls have already shown they know what it takes to undercut a team on a roll. Not only that, the Bulls seemingly have the Knicks’ number this season, having already defeated them three times.

Yet after a 101-98 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, there was no trash talk or swagger coming from the Bulls’ locker room.

“They’re a dangerous team,” guard Nate Robinson said of the Knicks. “It’s tough beating a team three times, and four times is really, really tough. They have it going right now and are feeling really good about themselves, which they should. They’re a hell of a team. We have our hands full. We have to go back to school, do our homework and be ready.”

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NEW YORK -- In the wake of an incident between Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett that resulted in Anthony's suspension, the Knicks recorded all in-game conversations between the forward and players around him Friday against the Bulls, a league source has confirmed.

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NEW YORK -- Let's take a quick look at how the Chicago Bulls earned a 108-101 win over the New York Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

How it happened: Luol Deng was solid on both ends of the floor, scoring a season-high 33 points and frustrating Carmelo Anthony most of the night. After shooting just 2-for-11 in Wednesday night's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Rip Hamilton responded by scoring 14 points. Carlos Boozer added 17 points and an impressive left-handed throwdown on Anthony in the third quarter. Anthony led the Knicks with 39 points but it wasn't enough.

What it means: The Bulls have the Knicks' number. Tom Thibodeau's team controlled the pace throughout the night, once again building a huge lead in the first half and not looking back. What Thibodeau has to be most pleased with is his team's defensive intensity. After playing poorly in the second half Wednesday, the Bulls played hard from start to finish in this one. Led by Deng, they forced Anthony and company into tough shots and executed very well on the offensive end. With Derrick Rose getting closer to returning, this is the type of game that will give Bulls fans even more confidence that their team can make some noise in the playoffs with a healthy Rose. The only problem with the Bulls is that as we've seen this season, nobody is quite sure how they will perform on a night-to-night basis.

Hits: Taj Gibson had another solid game off the bench, going 6-for-7 from the field for 12 points and pulling down three rebounds.

Misses: Kirk Hinrich was just 1-for-5 from the field after returning to the lineup from an elbow injury ... but he did have seven assists.

Stat of the night: The Bulls shot 57 percent from the field.

What's next: The Bulls are right back at it Saturday night when they take on the Phoenix Suns.

NEW YORK -- Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose participated in parts of the morning shootaround in advance of his team's game against the New York Knicks on Friday night.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose might start sitting on the bench with his teammates. Since his injury on April 28 in the first game of the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers, Rose has either watched games from the locker room or a suite at the United Center.

"He could," Thibodeau said, when asked about Rose sitting on the bench. "He's still locked in to doing some rehab stuff -- that's the primary focus. Whether he sits on the bench or not, he's here with us. He's doing practices, he's in the locker room. If he can get more done in the locker room as the game's going on, he's obviously watching the game, but he also has an opportunity to do some extra stuff back there. The main focus for him is the rehab and we've prioritized that."

This is the second straight trip that Rose has traveled with the Bulls as he continues his rehab. He went to Florida last week for games against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.

"This has been the normal plan right from the start," Thibodeau said. "Again, his whole focus is on his rehab, and then when he's ready to play or when he starts fully practicing, then he'll probably be more on the bench. But as long as he can get that extra work in I'd rather have him doing that."

Rose was in good spirits as he stretched out with his teammates. He has been doing more in practice as he prepares for his return to the court, likely sometime after the All-Star break.

"I think it's better right now for him to continue doing the things he's been doing, and that's the most benefit to him," Thibodeau said, noting that traveling was the next step in Rose's rehab progression. "With our team, I want them to focus on our opponent and our improvement, and with Derrick, I want him concentrating on his rehab.

"In the past month it's been shifted more to not only the rehab but getting acclimated to the basketball stuff again. But that's also a big part of his rehab. So he's doing both, he's doing well and at some point he'll rejoin us."

NEW YORK -- Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich is a game-time decision for Friday's game against the New York Knicks because of a cut on his right elbow.

Hinrich wore a wrap around the elbow before Friday morning's shootaround and said he would not participate.

"I'm doing better so we'll see how it goes," Hinrich said. "I'm not going to participate this morning. I'm just going to watch and then re-evaluate it before the game."

Hinrich, who injured his elbow during a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, sat out Wednesday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I landed on my elbow and popped a bursa," Hinrich said. "It's just one of those things with the risk of infection and everything. It's doing much better. (The arm's) been wrapped up for a few days now ... I know they were real worried about it becoming infected. It's real common for that injury to become infected so that, I think, was the main concern."

Hinrich, who has dealt with six different injuries this season, admitted that this has been a frustrating season for him.

"It's been a grind," Hinrich said. "I had a lot of stuff kind of not go my way as far as injuries and being nicked up, but (I'm) just excited. I feel like we've been playing good basketball, and every chance I can to get out there, I want to be able to get out there -- so I'm going to see how it goes."

If Hinrich doesn't play, veteran guard Nate Robinson will likely take his place in the starting lineup again.

CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose traveled with the Chicago Bulls to New York City on Thursday in advance of their game against the New York Knicks on Friday night.

This marks the second straight road trip Rose has made with his teammates as he continues his rehab from a torn ACL in his left knee. Rose accompanied the Bulls to Florida last week for victories over the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.

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NEW YORK -- Let's take a quick look at how the Chicago Bulls earned a 110-106 win over the New York Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

How it happened: Luol Deng led the way with 29 points and 13 rebounds. Joakim Noah almost rattled off his second straight triple-double, scoring 15 points, pulling down 12 rebounds and dishing out six assists. Kirk Hinrich played his best game of the season, scoring 16 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out eight assists. This game had a lot of the same bad blood that made the Bulls-Knicks rivalry of the ‘90s so much fun to watch.

What it means: This was one of the Bulls' most impressive wins of the season. They didn't close out in the manner they would have liked, but they controlled the tempo most of the game by suffocating the Knicks defensively. The Knicks struggled to find a rhythm as the Bulls repeatedly contested shots throughout the night. Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points for the Knicks, but he missed 15 shots and eventually picked up his second technical foul for arguing. Deng and Jimmy Butler played tight on him all night as the Bulls got into the Knicks' head. Noah and Knicks center Tyson Chandler got into a dustup as Chandler swung his elbows at Noah and the emotional Bulls center tried to head butt Chandler but missed. All in all, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has to be happy with the emotional intensity his team played with, but he has to be concerned about a possible suspension coming Noah's way.

Hits: Marco Belinelli had 22 points on the night. He continues to gain confidence on the floor and it shows.

Misses: Butler and Nate Robinson combined to go 6-for-19 from the field.

Stat of the night: There were four ejections on the night. Noah, Chandler, Anthony and Knicks head coach Mike Woodson.

What's next: The Bulls are right back at it Saturday night when they take on the Atlanta Hawks. They'll be looking for their third win in a row.

NEW YORK -- Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson said he will play Friday against the New York Knicks despite missing Thursday's practice because of a sprained right ankle.

Gibson originally injured his right ankle during Tuesday night's win over the Boston Celtics, but he feels it has improved enough for him to play.

"I'm going to play," Gibson said before Friday morning's shootaround. "I'll be fine. Just been getting treatment twice a day, just trying to stay ready and be ready for (Friday night)."

Gibson has been one of the most durable Bulls in recent years, having missed just five games over the past four seasons.

"I've been through this already, especially last year in the playoffs I dealt with it," Gibson said. "And (Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau) and the training staff know the way that I am. I can go at least at 70 percent or whatever I'm still going to play. It's all about if you can play through the pain. If I'm injured, I'm not going to play, but I feel I'll be OK."

Thibodeau said Gibson, who averages 6.3 points and 4.6 rebounds, is a game-time decision.

"He's better," Thibodeau said. "He's getting better."

CHICAGO -- The Bulls had every excuse in the world to roll over and lose on Saturday night.

They were playing their fourth game in five nights. They were playing without Derrick Rose and Richard Hamilton. They played the second half without Taj Gibson (ejected) and Kirk Hinrich (elbow injury). And they were playing one of the hottest teams in the league in the New York Knicks, who just knocked off the Miami Heat on Thursday night without Carmelo Anthony.

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CHICAGO -- Let's take a quick look at how the Chicago Bulls earned a 93-85 win over the New York Knicks on Saturday night at the United Center.

How it happened: Luol Deng led the Bulls once again, scoring 22 points and grabbing five rebounds. Marco Belinelli had another solid outing scoring 22 points, including a crucial jumper with just more than 90 seconds left. Joakim Noah added 10 points and 11 rebounds on a night in which the Bulls had to grind the game out in every way while playing their fourth contest in five nights. The Bulls' starters were absolutely gassed, especially since Taj Gibson got ejected in the first half and Kirk Hinrich didn't play in the second half because of an elbow injury, but they still found a way to win.

What it means: Given the circumstances, this was the Bulls' best win of the season. It's a credit to Tom Thibodeau and his players that they found the energy to pull this one out after such a grueling part of the schedule. The Knicks played without Carmelo Anthony, but given how easily they handled the Miami Heat on Thursday night without him, Thibodeau has to feel good about his team's effort. They dug down deep and made plays at the end that gave them a win over an elite-level opponent. The ups and downs the Bulls have already experienced this season should make this one a little sweeter for Noah and company.

Hits: Carlos Boozer played just 22 minutes because of matchups, but he had a solid game -- scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Misses: Knicks guard Raymond Felton was 9-for-30 from the field.

Stats of the night: The Knicks shot just 32 percent from the field and scored a season-low 85 points. Noah had a career-high nine turnovers.

What's next: The Bulls face off against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The mere mention of Ronnie Brewer's name has the same effect on all of his old teammates.

They all smile.

The Bulls may not be smiling during Saturday night's game against the New York Knicks -- they're fourth game in five nights, this one against the Eastern Conference leaders who spent Friday night in Chicago -- but they are all looking forward to being around their former teammate.

"It's just going to be good to see him," Bulls forward Carlos Boozer said. "We've been talking the whole season. He's been playing great for them, starting, obviously doing the same thing he always does, trying to do a good job locking up the other (team's) best perimeter player. I'm sure he'll be on Lu (Luol Deng) a lot (Saturday), but (he's) having a great season. I look forward to seeing my brother, man."

So does Taj Gibson. The Bulls forward knows Brewer is enjoying his time in New York City and is looking forward to the reunion.

"We're real close," Gibson said. "That was my guy. That was one of the guys I hung out with a lot on this team, so I'm happy for him being on another good team, a playoff-bound team, and he's playing great."

Gibson realizes Brewer is in a better position this season because of his starting role with the Knicks, but like the rest of the Bulls' holdovers from last season, he misses Brewer's presence in the locker room. The Knicks swingman wasn't always the most consistent scorer, but he always played solid defense and was a positive force off the floor to many of his teammates.

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