The Chicago Bulls four game winning streak came to a screeching halt last night in a manner you’d expect as they dropped a 100-91 decision to the New York Knicks. If you’ve spent any time watching the Bulls this season this is exactly the type of game they have lost. The Knicks have been eliminated from the eastern Conference playoffs race and where 19 games under .500 coming into this game. Add all that up and they had no trouble at all ending the Bulls winning streak.
The 1st quarter was played pretty evenly as there where six ties between the two teams in the quarter. The biggest lead either team had in the quarter was five points. New York had two five point leads in the quarter at 19-14 and the other at the end of the 1st quarter at 29-24. The biggest lead the Bulls could build in the quarter was four points and that was very early in the game when they where ahead 8-4.
The Knicks immediately built their lead to 17 points in the 2nd quarter. New York went on a 15 to 3 run to start the quarter and take a 44-27 lead. Shortly after their run the Knicks lead reached 20 points at 49-29 with 3:42 left to play. The Bulls spent the rest of the quarter trying to cut into the Knicks lead. The Bulls did knock six points off of the New York lead as they went in at halftime down 14 points 54-40.
The quarter started off pretty even with the Knicks holding their 14 point lead at 60-46 with 8:06 left in the quarter. The Knicks then scored the next nine points in the game and took a 23 point lead at 69-46 with 6:03 left to play. The Knicks where able to keep their lead at 20 points 76-56 with 2:14 left in the quarter. Chicago finished the quarter on a 8 to 4 run to get the Knicks lead down to 16 points at 80-64.
With the outcome of the game pretty much determined the Bulls had their best offensive quarter of the game scoring 27 points. It was the only quarter in this game where the Bulls actually outscored the Knicks. New York scored 20 points in the 4th quarter. The closest the Bulls got was with :07 seconds left in the game at 98-91, but the Knicks scored the final two points of the game to get it to it’s final of 100-91.
Carmelo Anthony was the Knicks leading scorer with 23 points. Courtney Lee had 14 points while added 13 points and tied for the game high in rebounds with 12. Coming off the Knicks bench Justin Holiday scored 12 points while added 11 points. Kyle O’Quinn also grabbed 12 rebounds to tie Ndour for the game lead in rebounds.
Jimmy Butler was the games high scorer with 26 points. Nikola Mirotic added 21 points and grabbed a team high 10 rebounds. Robin Lopez added 11 points and Anthony Morrow came off the Bulls bench to contribute 15 points. Rajon Rondo handed out a game high 9 assists for the Bulls.
Chicago drops to 38-40 with the loss, but they are still holding onto 7th place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls get a day off before they head to Philadelphia to face the 28-50 76ers on Thursday night. The win makes the Knicks 30-48 on the season. New York also gets a day off before they host the 47-31 Washington Wizards Thursday night.
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