Chicago Bulls defeat New York Knicks 103-90 for eighth straight win - NBA Recap (Part 2)
Centre Joakim Noah scored 13 points for the Bulls, who have won nine of their last 10 games.
Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony added 21 points and pulled down five rebounds in the defeat. He did not play well overall, going 2-for-9 from the floor during the very crucial second half.
Guard-forward Bill Walker came off the bench with 18 points, while guard Toney Douglas had 13 points and five rebounds for the Knicks, who have lost three of their previous 10 games.
Shawne Williams and Chauncey Billups posted 10 points each in the losing effort. Billups also grabbed eight assists.
Match Analysis
The Knicks came into the game on the back of a seven-game winning streak. New York were blazing hot during that run, shooting 30 percent from beyond the arc. However, things did not work out for them this time, as they shot just 26 percent (8 of 31) against
Chicago.
The Knicks got off to an impressive start and managed to take a 20-13 advantage in first five minutes of the opening quarter to take an initial lead. The Bulls scored seven consecutive points in the next minute to tie the game at 20 with just over three
minutes to go in the quarter. New York went on a 7-2 run in the closing minutes of the first quarter to carry a 27-24 lead into the second.
The Knicks extended their lead to 40-31 just over four minutes into the second quarter. However, Chicago’s 11-1 spurt pushed them ahead of New York by two points at 52-50. The Knicks scored five unanswered points in the last minute of the second, taking
a 55-52 lead at the break.
Trailing by three points at half time, the Bulls responded with a 26-2 run to open the third quarter to take a 78-57 lead for good. New York, on the other hand, missed some easy shots. Chicago took full advantage of some sloppy basketball from Anthony and
the Knicks, and maintained their double-digit lead in the last five minutes of the quarter. The Bulls outscored New York 32-18 in the second and carried an 84-73 lead into the final stanza.
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau was pleased with his side's impressive comeback in the second half. He said, "We had good energy and we rebounded the ball well so we got out into the open floor and we got some easy scoring opportunities. And I thought that energized
us, gave us some life."
The Knicks fought hard and cut the deficit to seven points at 89-82 early in the fourth quarter. The Bulls were clinical down the stretch as they went on a 14-8 run in the last seven minutes of the quarter to seal their 61st victory of the season.
The 26-year-old Anthony acknowledged the Bulls' great defensive play during the second half. Anthony told reporters, "They played great defence out there. Second half we missed some shots, they got out in transition, got some easy baskets, got some stops,
they opened the game up."
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