NY Knicks: On paper this looked like a mismatch. A game the Knicks should win and win easily. Chicago, playing without regulars Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Jimmy Butler are not the type of team to use injuries as an excuse.
No matter who is unavailable for Tom Thibodeau’s cast they always seem to surpass expectations by sticking to their defensive principles. Playing without their leader and former MVP for all of last season and at minimum the remainder of this year’s regular season, it would seem as if Chicago has grown accustomed to taking the court without their dynamic superstar.
New York didn’t get off to one of their patented awful starts, jumping out to an early seven point lead before Chicago could get its legs underneath them.
Points came at a premium, nothing new to these teams considering both reside in the bottom third of the league in that category. Mike Woodson’s bench provided an important boost using a 19-0 run at the outset of the second quarter to give the Knicks some much needed breathing room and the lead would balloon to as many as 23 points before Chicago methodically chipped away at the lead. New York’s sloppy play near the conclusion of the third provided the Bulls with a glimmer of hope going in to the final 12 minutes being down only 14.
Carmelo Anthony and company could only muster 15 fourth quarter points and watched its lead evaporate completely following a Joakim Noah put back with under 4 minutes to go. All the good work that was done leading up to that point would go for naught if the Knicks were to squander this game and who knows maybe even Coach Woodson’s fate would’ve been sealed had it not been for a couple of key possessions for NY, in particular Stoudemire who first forced a Noah turnover followed by what turned out to be the biggest shot of the game with the shot clock winding down. Stat confidently knocked down the free throw line extended jumper to give the Knicks a 2 point lead but this time there was no coming back.
Amare played 30 minutes after playing 27 minutes the prior night in Cleveland. His increased playing time and production couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for his teammates as Carmelo Anthony was the only other Knick in double figures, shouldering the load with 30 points. This is what the New York faithful have been clamoring for since Melo’s arrival in Gotham. For on this night Batman had his Robin and together they led New York over Chicago 83-78.
NOTES:
Knicks G Iman Shumpert left the game in the third quarter after bumping knees with Bulls F Mike Dunleavy. Right now it’s only being described as a bruised knee. Knicks G Raymond Felton missed the game due to an injured left hamstring suffered in Cleveland. Chicago had 22 turnovers but held the edge over New York in free throws attempted 29-19. 5 Bulls scored in double figures led by Mike Dunleavy’s 20.
Wilson Caicedo:PureSportsNY