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Knicks Come Out of Break with Confidence Against Sliding Bulls
The New York Knicks prepared for their challenging schedule following the All-Star break in about the only way a blue-collar team could do so: by playing their longest game of the season.
Knicks’ Grit and Playoff Push
The New York Knicks will begin their playoff push Thursday night when they host the Chicago Bulls as both teams return from the All-Star break.
It will be the first game for the Knicks and Bulls since Feb. 12, when host New York outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 149-148 in overtime, while the Bulls fell to the visiting Detroit Pistons 128-110.
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The win improved the Knicks to 36-18, their best winning percentage (.667) at the All-Star break since 1996-97. But it was a surprisingly hard-earned victory, as New York raced out to an 18-point second-quarter lead and led by six with 10 seconds left in regulation before the Hawks forced overtime.
The Hawks, who never led in regulation, opened a five-point lead in the extra session before Jalen Brunson’s fallaway from the foul line gave the Knicks a 149-148 lead with 11 seconds left. Atlanta then missed two potential game-winners, including a wide-open 3-pointer by Georges Niang as time expired.
“Obviously, we didn’t play as well as we would like,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “But I love the resolve to have the things that happened at the end of the game, to go into overtime and just find a way to win. And that’s what this team has done all year.”
The Knicks’ grit will likely come in handy down the stretch, as they play 19 of their final 28 games against teams that were among the top 10 in their conference at the break.
Bulls Struggling to Stay in Playoff Contention
The challenges will be different for the Bulls, who entered the All-Star break in 10th place in the East, just 1.5 games ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets. Chicago has won a play-in game in each of the last two seasons but may struggle to do so again this year.
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The Bulls traded leading scorer Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings in a three-way blockbuster with the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 3, acquiring the Spurs’ first-round pick along with Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, and Tre Jones.
Chicago won its first game after the trade but entered the break on a four-game skid, with an average margin of defeat of 24.5 points.
“When we come back, we have to look ourselves in the mirror and ask what we can do better,” Bulls guard Coby White said. “How can we come with a different mindset?”
What’s at Stake?
With the Knicks aiming to strengthen their playoff position and the Bulls battling to stay in the play-in race, both teams have plenty to play for in this crucial matchup.
