The good form of Knicks continued that night in Chicago, where Julius Randle (31 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists) and Jalen Brunson (30 points and 7 assists) led the charge against Bullsin a match won by the New York squad after overtime (128-120).
The men of Tom Thibodeau However, they were scared when they returned from the locker room, squandering a 14-point lead in the third quarter, very badly managed on their part, like these 6 ball losses over the period. Despite everything, even if they have complicated their lives against the Bulls without much certainty this season, but still valiant and surly, like a DeMar DeRozan who gave everything (32 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists), the Knicks were able to round their backs during their weak times, did not crack in the “money-time” and managed to make the difference during overtime (11-3 in their favour).
It’s the fifth straight win for the Knicks, who continue to climb the standings in the Eastern Conference, and are getting closer and closer to the Top 4. For the Bulls, on the other hand, it’s a second straight loss, and the Top 6 qualifier for the playoffs is already a considerable distance away, even if the season is still long.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– This time the Knicks won on offense. After four consecutive victories acquired thanks to their defense, the Knicks have indeed displayed another face, on the floor of the United Center. With the exception of a few interesting defensive passages, including some particularly decisive during extra time, the teammates of Jalen Brunson, always reliable at the helm, built this fifth consecutive success in attack. We will especially remember their superb outside address, with an 18/34 behind the arc which clearly made the difference against the meager 9/28 of the Bulls, and their pressure on the circle, with 25 passages on the free throw line .
– Jalen Brunson, to the rescue. Solid without being dazzling during regulation time, the Knicks point guard took matters into his own hands in overtime, scoring 7 of the Knicks’ 11 points. Including a final award-winning shot, in the corner in front of the Bulls bench, followed by a bit of “trashtalking” to close the evening definitively. While Julius Randle had completely missed his “game-winner” at the end of regulation time, the former Villanova player gave him a real “masterclass” of composure in the extra period of play, and showed that he was THE Knicks finisher in hot times.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅⛔️ Julius Randle. Hot from the start, with 15 points in the first quarter, the Knicks strong winger was very good for three quarters, before getting lost in repeated phases of isolation without tail or head in the last deed. The highlight of this sluggish fourth quarter being this “game-winner” completely missed, near the baseline at the siren of regulation time. It is no coincidence that it was Jalen Brunson who was the strongman of the Knicks during overtime. Overall, he still signs a solid match, with a constant aggressiveness towards the circle to emphasize (12/15 on free throws), which makes us forget his crack in front of the referees, during the previous match against the Kings.
✅ RJ Barrett. Although he struggled in defense against DeMar DeRozan, even joining the bench before the end of regulation time after a sixth foul on the Bulls winger, the Canadian was invaluable throughout the game. In particular by his external address (4/7), and his intelligent movements away from the ball, in gravitation of the “pick-and-roll” Jalen Brunson – Julius Randle. He finished with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
✅ Quentin Grimes. Nice performance from the back of the Knicks, sober but always precious. In defense of course, against Zach LaVine for a large part of the evening, but also in attack thanks to the quality of his outside shot (4/7). He also scored a decisive award-winning shot in overtime, to offer a 6-point lead and definitively repel the Bulls. In addition to his 14 points, he brought 5 rebounds, 2 assists, an interception and a block.
✅ DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. A little lonely on offense at times, the Bulls trio gave the Knicks a hard time. The first is the most prominent, with 32 points, including 24 scored after the break when his team woke up (16/17 in free throws), 5 rebounds and 2 assists). It was the opposite for the Montenegrin pivot, who made most of his production in the first period, before being somewhat forgotten by his team in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter.
⛔️ The Bulls’ away address. While it is the team that scores the fewest outside shots this season, the Chicago troop has not improved its average, with only 9 shots at 3-pts registered, out of 28 attempts… A weakling 32% who s Turned out to be the key to the match, against them, as the Knicks scored 18 winning shots! Clearly, the Bulls’ offense is at times very bland…
THE FOLLOWING
Act II between the two teams, on the night of Friday to Saturday, still in Chicago.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
