MILWAUKEE -- Jimmy Butler, the ironman of the Chicago Bulls, admits he might have to give his early season crown away to Pau Gasol.

That proclamation came after Gasol logged another 36 minutes of action in the second night of a back-to-back during Wednesday night's 95-86 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I'm following his lead now," Butler said. "I think he has more [40-minute] games under his belt than I do right now. He's playing out of his mind right now. Double-double after double-double, passing the ball, rebounding. He's a helluva player for us."

Gasol knew when he signed with the Bulls as a free agent in July that Tom Thibodeau was much more intense than most NBA coaches. But over the first week of the season, the veteran power forward has gotten a crash course on what exactly makes Thibodeau tick. With Joakim Noah having to sit out the past two games because of flu-like symptoms, Gasol has risen to the challenge in a major way. Not only has he proven to be a major force in the middle throughout the first week, he has combined for 38 points, 27 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 76 minutes over the past two games.

But as Gasol racks up these numbers early in the season, is it too much, too quickly for the 34-year-old big man? While the circumstances of the past two days are special because of Noah's illness, even Gasol admits that he doesn't want to deal with 40-plus minutes a night on a consistent basis.

"I don't think there will be a need for it," Gasol said. "I think it was something that just happened. Forty [minutes a game] is probably excessive on a consistent basis, but from 30-35 [a game] I'm OK with it. I think that's something I actually kind of want myself, to be out there for that long. But you never know in this league. There might be overtime, there might be two overtimes, three overtimes, and you got to win the game. I've played games where I played over 50 minutes, so you just got to dig in and get it done and get the W."

Gasol has dug in as hard as anyone early in the season as the Bulls try to find their way despite so many injuries in the first week. Whether he can keep this up for the long haul remains to be seen, but his teammates and coaches are enjoying the early returns.

"He's getting there, man," Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said. "I think he's getting more efficient as a player. Catching the ball down low, getting fouled now. I think it just took him a little time to knock off a little rust, but I think he's in a nice little groove right now, him and Taj."

As Rose and Noah make their way back from various injuries, Gasol and Gibson have become the stalwarts for a Bulls team that is deeper than at any other point in Thibodeau's tenure. But even Gibson had to miss a game last week due to a sprained ankle.

Gasol has been the player the Bulls have counted on more than anyone offensively through the first five games of the season. He's confident he can still play at a high level, and if the first week is any indication, Thibodeau will continue to give him the minutes to prove it.

"He's real smart," Thibodeau said. "He's long. It's funny, it seems like he's a better rebounder late with the game on the line. He's going after it."

Now Gasol has to hope that his body can withstand the grind that comes with playing for one of the best -- and most demanding -- coaches in the league.