The Chicago Bulls finally got vengeance for their two losses endured earlier in the season against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, but it might have come at a price.
Ronnie Brewer endured a right thumb injury while attempting to call a timeout in a mad scramble for a loose ball during the second period. Later in the game, Joakim Noah stepped on the Knicks’ Bill Walker’s foot and rolled his already-injured ankle once again.
Noah hobbled off to the bench and sat out the remainder of the game without receiving any treatment, but did look visibly frustrated.
But the cause of his frustrations might have had something to do with his timing still being off. Many balls slipped out of his grasps once again in the game at the Garden. Noah usually has great hands but they have not looked the same since his right thumb
Noah’s front-court counterpart Carlos Boozer effectively managed to pound the Knicks into submission on the glass with 22 rebounds. But, like Noah, Boozer is also suffering from a lingering ankle sprain which is throwing off his timing and explosiveness. He struggled mightily on 5-of-19 shooting from the field by losing control of plenty of balls tonight which could have been easy lay-ups.
Despite some concerns about the health of the Bulls’ players and debates about whether or not the team should be resting their starters (as opposed to shooting for the best record in the NBA that is currently held by San Antonio), the Bulls looked impressive in their 103-90 victory over the Knicks.
New York held a 55-52 lead at halftime but the Bulls’ defense responded in the second half by only allowing two Knick points until the 4:40 mark of the third quarter.
Mid-way through the third quarter, Derrick Rose became just the third Chicago Bulls’ player to surpass 2,000 points for the franchise over the course of a regular season (Michael Jordan, 11 times; Bob Love, twice). Rose put on a highlight reel of dunks and wheeling lay-ups for the Madison Square Garden crowd. Though, a large portion of the MSG faithful were seen filing out of the arena with over four minutes left in the game.
Rose out-dueled Carmelo Anthony’s 21 points on 8-of-19 shooting by pouring in 26 points of his own, on 10-of-19 shooting.
Luol Deng scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds with four assists.
New York’s Amare Stoudemire did not suit up to play in the Knicks’ first and only loss to the Bulls’ this season on Tuesday evening.
The 2010-11 Chicago Bulls have one game left on their regular season schedule to be played tomorrow, on Wednesday night, at home against the New Jersey Nets.
The win against the Knicks means that the Bulls have now defeated every other NBA team this season.
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