DeMar DeRozan Drops 34 as Bulls Fend off Knicks' Furious 2nd-Half Surge
The Chicago Bulls earned a 119-115 road win over the New York Knicks on Thursday night. DeMar DeRozan had 34 points as Chicago improved to 15-8.
The victory continues a strong start to the season for the Bulls, who entered the game tied for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks trailed by as many as 21 in the first half before storming back, but their comeback fell short. New York fell to 11-11 with its second straight loss. Julius Randle led the Knicks with 30 points and 12 rebounds.
Notable Player Stats
G DeMar DeRozan, CHI: 34 points (18 in 4th quarter)
C Nikola Vucevic, CHI: 27 points
G Zach LaVine, CHI: 27 points
F Julius Randle, NYK: 30 points, 12 rebounds
Bulls Build Big Lead Early, Hold on Late
Chicago entered Thursday ranked fourth in the NBA in field-goal percentage (47.0) and point differential (plus-4.4). The team's efficiency was on full display early on as the Bulls took advantage of a soft Knicks defense to tie a season high with 69 points in the first half.
Chicago led by as many as 21 in the first half and was able to get out in transition after forcing the Knicks into 12 turnovers. Alex Caruso was a pest on both ends of the floor.
The Bulls seemed to fall asleep at the wheel after halftime and allowed New York to claw back into the game in the third quarter. After shooting 57.4 percent in the first half, Chicago went 8-of-23 from the field in the third (34.8 percent).
But timely buckets from the Bulls' stars helped them stave off the Knicks' comeback. DeRozan had 18 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter.
Chicago has looked like one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference at times this season. The Bulls can't take their foot off the gas like they did in the second half on Thursday if they hope to compete with the conference's elite.
The victory should serve as a gut check for Chicago. The lessons learned from this win will help the Bulls going forward as they attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
Knicks Play With Fire in Second Half, Can't Complete Comeback
New York looked to be on its way to an embarrassing loss at home after a dismal first-half performance. Some questionable calls by the referees and an early ejection for Knicks forward Taj Gibson seemed to get the team out of sorts and off its game.
Randle and Evan Fournier were seen arguing as they headed into the locker room for halftime.
But New York head coach Tom Thibodeau apparently lit a fire under his players during the break, because they came out in the third quarter and played furiously on both offense and defense. The Knicks were able to ignite the crowd at Madison Square Garden thanks to their improved effort coming out of halftime.
After shooting 2-of-12 on three-pointers in the first half, the Knicks hit six triples in the third quarter. The Knicks outscored Chicago 32-20 in the frame to turn an 18-point halftime deficit into a six-point game heading into the fourth quarter.
Alec Burks hit a triple in the fourth to tie the game and Randle later gave the Knicks their first lead since it was 9-7 in the first quarter.
But the Knicks just couldn't close it out. Randle had a bad turnover and missed a couple of key free throws down the stretch as Chicago pulled away.
New York now has a 5-7 record on its home floor. Failing to finish off comebacks and put teams away has been a theme of the Knicks' season, and Thursday night was no different.
What's Next?
The Bulls will remain in New York to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The Knicks will look to bounce back that same day when the Denver Nuggets come to town.
