A detailed additional time victory barely compensates for a obvious Knicks flaw on show at Madison Sq. Backyard.
All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Cities mixed for 54 factors, and Mikal Bridges got here up with an enormous block on Bulls heart Nikola Vucevic to pressure additional time in New York’s 113-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.
However an absence of efficient perimeter protection is answerable for a recreation in opposition to the Japanese Convention’s No. 10 seed going to additional time within the first place.
The Knicks received their fifth of their final six video games and their first recreation after the weeklong All-Star break — however forward of Friday’s second leg of a back-to-back in opposition to the East’s No. 1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s clear the three-point protection continues to want work.
The Knicks entered Thursday’s matchup in opposition to the Bulls as 12.5-point favorites however — with out OG Anunoby (foot) and Josh Hart (knee) — discovered themselves in a dogfight in opposition to one of many fastest-playing groups in all of basketball.
The Bulls didn’t have to high-velocity hoops to maintain issues fascinating on Thursday.
All they did was transfer the ball behind the three-point line.
And after taking pictures simply 5-of-18 from downtown within the first half — largely on high quality seems that didn’t go their approach — Chicago related on 10 of their subsequent 20 seems within the second half to erase an 11-point Knicks lead.
They gave up one other one with below 90 seconds left in regulation, a Josh Giddey three that put the Bulls up, 101-100. And Nikola Vucevic made a contested three on the next possession to place Chicago up by two with below a minute left on the sport clock.
This, in fact, is when Jalen Brunson performs his finest basketball. As all of Madison Sq. Backyard rose to its ft to cheer the Knicks’ captain in crunch time, Brunson related on a side-step two to tie the sport at 104 with 22.7 seconds left on the clock.
Brunson completed with 22 factors and 12 assists, and Cities — who missed 9 of his first 10 photographs and completed 2-of-15 from the sphere on the half — ended the evening with 32 factors and 18 rebounds, courtesy of an explosive third quarter.
The Knicks trailed the Bulls, 21-19, after the primary quarter however opened the second quarter with a 20-11 run, fueled by Brunson’s regular scoring. Miles McBride, who began rather than the injured Hart, introduced defensive exercise and three-point taking pictures, ending with 23 factors, three steals and three blocks.
By halftime, New York held a 50-43 lead, however their defensive points lingered. The Bulls shot 19-of-48 (or 39.6 p.c) from downtown, with three starters making three or extra of their makes an attempt from deep.
Earlier than the sport, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau emphasised the significance of transition protection, realizing Chicago’s velocity and perimeter taking pictures might pose issues.
“You can’t let your guard down. You can’t jog, you can’t stab. You’ve got to get back and protect the basket first and you’ve gotta get matched up,” Thibodeau mentioned pregame.
Regardless of his warnings, New York struggled to comprise Chicago’s uptempo assault early, giving up a barrage of open seems from deep.
The Bulls didn’t join on these seems early on, however the Cleveland Cavaliers — awaiting the Knicks for his or her second leg of a back-to-back — will feast on these alternatives ought to they turn out to be out there.
