CHICAGO -- Luol Deng understands it might not mean much if the Chicago Bulls are still banged up once the playoffs roll around. Even so, he has a good feeling as the post-season approaches. "I think we learned so much from last year," he said. "I think as a group, were more confident this year." A run to the Eastern Conference finals whetted their appetite. Now, theyre looking for more, but theres still work to be done before they can really get down to business. Games like this are just another step, another obstacle, and they keep finding ways to clear them. Deng scored 20 points, Joakim Noah added 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Chicago beat the Detroit Pistons 83-71 on Friday night. The Bulls scored the final eight points after the Pistons closed within four with just under 5 minutes left and came away with their 14th straight win against Detroit. In the process, they improved their league-best record to 42-11, even though star Derrick Rose and Richard Hamilton remained sidelined by injuries. Deng came through again after scoring 22 in in a lopsided win over Atlanta on Wednesday and Noah was his usual relentless self, helping Chicago win again despite all its bumps and bruises. Rose missed his ninth straight game because of a right groin injury, but the Bulls improved to 14-5 without the defending league MVP. Hamilton has barely been able to get on the court because of a variety of injuries after signing with Chicago. He was hoping to return from a sprained right shoulder against his former team, but he sat out this 13th consecutive game after participating in the morning shootaround and going through warmups. Whether he or Rose plays Sunday at Oklahoma City remains to be seen, although coach Tom Thibodeau said Hamilton is "real close." "I just thought another day would be good," he said. "I talked to him before the game. I was not quite comfortable with him playing yet." The Pistons were hardly a picture of health with Rodney Stuckey (sore left hamstring) and Ben Gordon (sore right groin). Austin Daye started at shooting guard and finished with 11 points. Brandon Knight scored 16 points, and Tayshaun Prince had 14 after tying a season high with 29 in an 87-75 win over Cleveland on Wednesday. Greg Monroe added 14 points and 10 rebounds, but the Pistons remained winless against the Bulls since beating them at the Palace of Auburn Hills in December 2008. They were dominated 53-37 on the boards and got outscored 38-24 in the paint. They shot just under 37 per cent for the game. They didnt even attempt a free throw until Jason Maxiell made 1 of 2 midway through the third, and they were 6 of 7 for the game. All that helps explain why they managed just 10 points in two of the four quarters and failed to crack 80 for the fourth time in five games. "It just came down to a lot of offensive rebounds for them," Knight said. "They were able to finish off possessions." The Bulls appeared to be in good shape after an 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter made it 73-61, but the Pistons werent finished. They cut it to 75-71 on Knights jumper with 4:50 left, but didnt score again after that. Chicagos C.J. Watson then hit two free throws, and Noah fed Boozer for a basket after rebounding a missed 3 by Kyle Korver, making it an eight-point game with just under four minutes left. A tip-in and dunk by Noah over the final 1:15 rounded out the scoring and preserved the win for the Bulls. "He was tipping everything in, blocking shots, rebounding, running the court hard, making plays for everybody," Carlos Boozer said. Notes: Thibodeau dismissed an ESPN.com report that hes "dismayed" the Bulls havent given him a contract extension. "I dont know where thats coming from," he said. "Im not worried about any of that stuff. Im under contract. Im fine with everything here." The Bulls hold an option on him for next year, and they probably would like to keep him, considering what hes accomplished in two seasons. ... Pistons coach Lawrence Frank couldnt resist taking a playful jab at the Bulls when asked before the game about Stuckey and Gordon. "Theyre both day-by-day," he said. "What has Derrick Rose been a game time decision for two weeks?" Stuckey was injured in the first quarter against Cleveland on Wednesday. Gordon missed his second straight game. ... The Bulls have won 12 straight at home against the Pistons since a loss on Feb. 24, 2006. Wayne Rooney World Cup Jersey . The application will allow the City of Markham - just northeast of Toronto - to examine the design, the plans sustainability and the technical aspects of the proposed GTA Centre. Once they get approval of the application, the City of Markham will issue a building permit and construction can begin on the $325 million venue. Ben Foster Soccer Jersey . 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He worked out separately on Thursday while the rest of squad held their first training session in Ukraine on the outskirts of Kyiv.OAKLAND, Calif. - Stephen Curry settled into a chair in front of his locker, then placed his sore right ankle into a Gatorade jug filled with ice and water.Golden States mercurial guard had better get used to it at this rate.Curry rolled his surgically repaired ankle and limped off the court for the second time in seven days. This time the pain was a little easier to take.Curry had 21 points and 10 assists, and played stifling defence on Derrick Rose most of the night to lead the Warriors to a 99-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday.He ran his basketball team, said Golden State coach Mark Jackson, who quietly celebrated his first victory at any level. He was in attack mode against arguably the best point guard and the MVP of the league. He did a great job of being an extension of me on the floor.Monta Ellis added 26 points and seven assists, David Lee had 22 points and seven rebounds, and Dominic McGuire made three free throws in the final 47 seconds to seal the win.Rose had a poor shooting night and finished with 13 points for Chicago.It was similar to a year ago when the Warriors, playing at home, held Rose to a quiet 14 points and 10 assists and beat the Bulls 101-90.Ellis drew the assignment against Rose in that game. This time it was almost exclusively Curry, who followed Rose closely throughout the night and prevented the leagues reigning MVP from getting settled in.We had an opportunity to show what weve been working on in training camp defensively as a team, getting on the same page, said Curry, who was taken for X-rays on his ankle after the game. We didnt do that in the fourth quarter last night so we had an opportunity to come back out tonight on a short rest and turn that around. It just happened that D-Rose was here and we figured it out tonight.A day after making a series of late-game breakdowns against Chris Paul and the Clippers in a 105-86 loss, the Warriors built a double-digit lead in the first quarrter and held on.ddddddddddddRose went 4 of 17 from the floor and missed badly on a pair of 3-pointers in the final moments, including an airball with 25 seconds left.Luol Deng, whose block of Kobe Bryant as time expired sealed Chicagos season-opening 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls. They trailed by as much as 19 before making a late surge to get within 96-91 with 36 seconds remaining.Chicago, which is in the midst of a season-opening, four-game road trip, has lost nine of its last 10 games in Oakland.We let them get easy looks, Rose said. In the first quarter, weve got to find a way to stop people. Guys that we know can score the ball, theyre getting too many easy looks.Ellis, held to 15 in the season-opening loss to the Clippers, got the Warriors going with 13 points in the first quarter but it was Curry who provided the biggest lift.He scored 12 straight points and drove past three Chicago defenders in the key to cap a 16-5 run and give Golden State a 46-27 lead. Curry also shadowed Rose and helped hold him to seven points in the first half.Rose, who hit the game-winner in the Bulls 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, took only three shots in the first quarter when Chicago committed eight turnovers.The Warriors increased their lead to 17 after three before the Bulls made their late push to get within 93-85 with 1:44 left.Kyle Korver made a pair of 3-pointers in a 14-second span to pull Chicago within 96-91 but the Bulls couldnt get closer.Notes: Chicagos 14 first-half turnovers equaled its total from the previous night. ... It was the first time in 10 years the Warriors have opened the season with games on consecutive nights. Golden State also plays its next two at Oracle Arena. ... The sellout crowd included New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who grew up 30 miles north of Oakland, Raiders owner Mark Davis and San Francisco 49ers running back Anthony Dixon. ' ' '