"The Bulls flew home from New York to exhale for a while Friday, boarding a bus to Milwaukee in the afternoon in advance of Saturday morning's shootaround at Marquette.

Following Saturday night's Bucks game, they will bus home for another half-day respite before flying to New Jersey on Sunday to continue the season-high nine-game trip Monday night.

When the trip concludes Feb. 12 in Boston, the Bulls will have played a league-high 20 road games to just 10 at the United Center. Thursday's victory over the Knicks concluded their 10th of 17 back-to-back sets, and they already navigated their lone back-to-back-to-back test in early January.

With Luol Deng poised to test the torn ligament in his left wrist either against the Bucks or some other time on this trip, the Bulls' schedule is easing. They don't play another set of back-to-back games until Feb. 28-29 and have a five-game homestand heading into the All-Star break after the trip.

That they have endured the tough, early part of their schedule — and several injuries — with the Eastern Conference's best record bodes well for them to repeat last season's NBA-best regular-season record.

"I love the resiliency of our team, the resolve of our team, the bounce-back ability of the team," coach Tom Thibodeau said."