The Bulls took it relatively easy Friday with a 60-minute session at the Berto Center that included some video review and training-room time.
''Get some therapy, some guys got some shots up,'' coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''Really just wanted to let the guys get their legs back a little bit; it's been a long trip.'' The Bulls returned home for a three-day break with a 2-4 record during this span of seven road games that concludes Sunday in Philadelphia. The game against the 76ers will be the first of three in four days.
Among the players still scrimmaging after practice were Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah and Thabo Sefolosha. The trio of former first-round draft picks could handle the extra work since they have been in and out of the Bulls' regular rotation throughout the season.
Noah's lack of conditioning remains his biggest problem. He even asked out of the game Monday at Utah just nine minutes into the first quarter and ended up playing only 16œ minutes -- and that was four more minutes than he played Wednesday at San Antonio.
Thomas, who has contended it was the inconsistent minutes he played under former coach Scott Skiles that held back his progress, has been more upbeat about his inconsistent minutes under Del Negro -- even though Thomas has averaged only 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds through the first six games of the road trip and hasn't scored in double figures since Nov. 7 against Phoenix.
Thomas said Del Negro has not talked to him about why one night the third-year forward might play less than five minutes, such as at Denver on Sunday, or eight minutes at San Antonio on Wednesday after being on the floor for 23 minutes at Utah.
''We didn't talk about it, but I'm sure it was matchups or something of that nature,'' Thomas said. ''It happens. There's nothing to read into. The big thing is not to get too high or too low. We're still trying to figure it out right now. Hopefully, we can figure it out sooner than later.
''I'm just going with the flow, be a good teammate, and just contribute when I can. That's all I can do. I'm just trying to learn. It's life. Sometimes stuff's not going to go your way, but you have to make the best of it.
''I haven't had a great start, but, shoot, I've got friends that are trying to make the [ NBA Development League] and are trying to play overseas, and I have a secure job. You just have to keep it in perspective. That's how I'm trying to take it right now.
''You always want to do well and get better. We're only [16] games in; it's a long season. I learned that over the first couple years. I just have to get it together.''
