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Page added on December 31, 2007
Bulls Gore Knicks
NEW YORK – The game was between the 10-17 Chicago Bulls and the 8-20 New York Knicks, and it was surprising to see as many people in the stands as there were. The fact that yet another sellout crowd decided to devote a Sunday afternoon to uninspired basketball is astonishing, given that the city’s game has not entered Madison Square Garden for some time.
In a nutshell, those simple words best describe the spectacle that will be archived as Bulls 100, Knicks 83. There was nothing relevant about this particular game, unless there is some direct correlation between how Jim Boylan’s team won today, and how Scott Skiles’ unit won December 14 at the United Center. Skiles was axed on Christmas Eve, and Boylan was named to replace him three days later.
Ben Gordon, back in a reserve role, led all scorers with 25 points on 11-of-15 from the field. Luol Deng added 17, with seven assists and six assists. Kirk Hinrich and Joe Smith finished with 13 apiece, and Hinrich led the way with eight assists. Ben Wallace, still a force beneath the rim, grabbed 10 boards.
“Everybody is [playing] more relaxed,” Gordon said, in assessing the coaching change. “We are trying to play together. Guys are moving the ball, and trying to get open shots. That is when we are at our best.”
In Boylan’s debut on Friday night [a 103-99 win against the Milwaukee Bucks], Gordon had tallied a team-high 31 points, five boards and four assists.
Meanwhile, New York’s losing ways can be attributed to an inconsistent starting line-up. Through 28 games, Isiah Thomas has penciled in nine such arrangements, and that number figures to grow.
Granted, Stephon Marbury’s season in hell has already created several unexpected problems. Now, there is the matter of Jamal Crawford’s bruised right hand that was injured during Friday’s practice, [x-rays of which were taken as Isiah Thomas spoke during the pre-game press conference].
“I was playing defense, and my hand went into someone’s knee,” Crawford recounted. “I banged it hard, both on the back and front of the knuckle. I can’t close it all the way, and I can’t straighten it all the way. It has gotten better [since then] so, hopefully, I will be back by Wednesday.”
“Jamal has done a great job in terms of emerging [as a leader],” Thomas said. “He has held the team together in some adverse situations and, in terms of leadership, has become the focal point on this team.”
For his part, Crawford –who averages a team-high 19.2 points per game- defended the organization’s decision to delay the examination.
“[Saturday] would have been tough, because I would’ve had to go to a regular hospital, and I, probably, wouldn’t have gotten out of there until late at night.”
Subsequently, the Knicks started Nate Robinson in his place. And, while Robinson did led New York with 19 points, five assists, and three steals, those numbers never really mattered.
The home team was down by eight points after one quarter, and 16 entering the fourth. From 65-55, with better than three minutes on the clock in the third, Chicago’s double-digit margin was never seriously threatened. In fact, the closest New York was previous to that was a 19-all first quarter tie, produced only when David Lee dunked with 5:06 remaining.
By virtue of an 11-3 spurt –highlighted by Hinrich [five points during the run, 11 over the first twelve minutes], and four from Gordon-, the Bulls zoomed to 30-22 lead, and never looked back.
Zach Randolph, starting in place of Eddy Curry at center, finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds. However, the point total is deceiving, as Randolph missed 15 of 23 shots. Quentin Richardson [13 points] missed 11 of 16 FGA’s. Curry tallied 12 points and eight boards, but missed six of nine shots.
As a team, the Knicks converted just 37.2% of their 86 field goal attempts, which included a 4-of-15 effort from beyond the arc.
Tagged with: Chicago Bulls, Christmas Eve, Coaching Change, Direct Correlation, Game Press, Isiah Thomas, Jamal Crawford, Jim Boylan, Joe Smith, Kirk Hinrich, Knicks New York, Madison Square Garden, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Open Shots, Scott Skiles, Season In Hell, Sellout Crowd, Stephon Marbury, X Rays
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