Chicago Bulls: Bulls Will Get Revenge vs. New York with or Without D-Rose
The loss the Chicago Bulls suffered in New York on Saturday was a painful one, but they will exact revenge tonight in the United Center.
With Derrick Rose as a game-time decision after injuring his ankle in the first matchup, some think that will result in another defeat for the Bulls.
I'm not one of them.
No, the Bulls aren't a better team without Rose, so please no one start that ridiculous chatter. But they are a different team that has proved they are solid in the MVP's stead.
The first game encompassed every one of the team's concerns. Rose tweaked an old injury, missed clutch free-throws and the other Bulls failed to step-up late.
That just about covers it.
With all that transpiring, the Bulls still only lost by one point in OT.
Truth be told, they didn't deserve to win the game, and you can bet Tom Thibodeau let them know that in a post-game diatribe.
Now, with Rose nursing a injured ankle, he may not play in the second half of this home and home. Though the Bulls need Rose to be a serious contender, they won't need him to take out the Knicks.
The great thing about the Bulls is that they generally bounce back from losses better than any team in the NBA. Playing without Rose hasn't changed that.
The Bulls have only lost consecutive games once this season, and only four times last year.
It's a testament to their pride, competitiveness and Thibodeau's influence. The Knicks are certainly an improved team under Mike Woodson and without Jeremy Lin—but they aren't better than the Bulls.
That will especially be the case in the United Center where the Bulls are 22-6. New York is 10-17 on the road, and their struggles away from Madison Square Garden didn't go away with Mike D'Antoni.
Under Woodson, the Knicks are 3-3 away from home. Their latest road win came over the feuding and discombobulated Orlando Magic.
Winning against a peeved Bulls' team, with or without Rose in Chicago is a hill the Knicks aren't going to climb.
New York is on the right path, but it's a different ball game playing on the road and it'll show tonight.
