Bulls-Knicks Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Feb 01 2012 11:40PM

Sparked by Carmelo Anthony's return, the New York Knicks posted their most efficient offensive display in almost seven years their last time out.

While their opponent in that game left much to be desired, the Knicks know they'll be tested as they begin their only back-to-back-to-back stretch of the season Thursday night against the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls, who are trying to avoid losing two in a row for the first time in nearly a year.

After dropping nine of 10, New York (8-13) regrouped in impressive fashion with a 113-86 rout of woeful Detroit on Tuesday. Anthony, who sat out the previous two games with ankle, wrist and thumb injuries, led the way with 25 points as the Knicks shot 60.0 percent.

"A lot of that is Melo," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "You could see he was well, he looked good and we play a lot off him and he draws a lot of attention, makes it easy for everybody else, kind of puts everybody else back in their roles that they do."

While New York was in high spirits after blowing out the Pistons, things are about to get much more difficult thanks to a grueling slate of games - starting with the Bulls (18-6).

"Chicago's a great test for us ... they play great defense, they execute," center Tyson Chandler said. "Coming off a good win (Tuesday), if we play the same way and lock in defensively, I like our chances."

Sitting 7 1/2 games behind Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia, the Knicks visit Boston on Friday before hosting New Jersey on Saturday.

"I think (this stretch) is a great mental challenge for us and I like right where it's coming at and the teams that we're gonna be going up against," Chandler added. "It's an opportunity for this team to turn things around and make a leap."

New York could be hard-pressed to build on its latest effort as Chicago is surrendering 87.9 points per game to rank third in the league. The Bulls, though, couldn't slow down the 76ers on Wednesday and suffered their third loss in five games, 98-82.

"Our defense wasn't good. I thought our reaction to the ball was very poor," coach Tom Thibodeau, whose team was outscored 26-11 in the third quarter, told the NBA's official website.

In the midst of a nine-game road swing, Chicago was without injured starters Luol Deng and Richard Hamilton. While Hamilton has been ruled out indefinitely, Deng is expected to be available versus the Knicks following a six-game absence.

Deng was averaging 18.3 points and 9.0 rebounds over an eight-game span prior to getting hurt.

After averaging 34.3 points over his previous three contests, reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose scored 18 against Philadelphia.

Rose is averaging 26.2 points on 54.1 percent shooting over his last six meetings with New York. He had 26 points while Deng scored 23 in a 103-90 win at Madison Square Garden on April 12.

Carlos Boozer also came up big in that game with 14 points and 22 rebounds - one shy of his career high. Boozer is averaging 22.5 points and 15.8 boards during his last six visits to New York.

The Bulls haven't suffered back-to-back defeats since Feb. 5-7.

Rose scores 32 points, Bulls beat Knicks 105-102

By RACHEL COHEN
Posted Feb 03 2012 12:24AM

NEW YORK (AP) Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony are both All-Star starters. Only Rose is the reigning MVP, and he was the one who owned Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

Rose had 32 points, 13 assists and a basket seemingly every time the Knicks were poised to rally in the Bulls' 105-102 victory.

"Every time I step on the court, they're coming at me," Rose said. "I love it where it's a challenge like that. I'm not backing away from it, and I don't want them to back away from it. It's just `be on' every night."

This night brought relief for a Chicago team in the middle of a nine-game road trip and more distress for New York and its embattled coach, who opened a back-to-back-to-back with their 10th loss in 12 games.

"For the most part, we played extremely hard tonight," Anthony said. "We've got to pat ourselves on the back for something. We can go and magnify the turnovers late in the second quarter; we still had a chance to win the basketball game."

Rose had 15 of his points in the fourth quarter, scoring on three straight possessions during one spectacular 79-second burst. He split Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to flip in a shot from past the backboard, then hit a 3-pointer to put the Bulls up 95-88 with less than 6 minutes left.

Stoudemire had a season-high 34 points and 11 rebounds but missed a shot from beyond his normal range - a 3-point attempt with 11.9 seconds remaining - that would have tied the score.

"He can make that shot as well as anybody," coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Said Stoudemire: "That shot normally falls for me."

Anthony had 26 points but just 4 in the fourth quarter and missed a desperation 3 at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. Twice in the last 92 seconds with the Knicks trailing by 3, he had his shot blocked.

New York still had its chances. Landry Fields' baseline drive with 23.4 seconds left pulled the Knicks within 1. New York had no choice but to foul Kyle Korver, a 74 percent free-throw shooter, with 13.7 seconds to go. He hit both.

After Stoudemire missed, a miscommunication by the Bulls kept things interesting. With Chicago leading 104-100, the Bulls fouled Anthony on purpose - but they were supposed to do so only with a 3-point lead.

Anthony made both, and Rose failed to clinch the victory when he missed one of his free throws with 5.3 seconds remaining - something he seemed more focused on afterward than his 32 points. Anthony couldn't make him pay when his 33-footer bounced off the rim.

"We always say you got to find a way, and the good teams in this league find different ways to win games," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said of his Eastern Conference leaders. "Ideally, you'd like to count on both your offense and your defense."

Allowing New York to shoot 49 percent is not his idea of defense, but Chicago more than made up for it by making nearly 53 percent of its field goals and 6 of 13 3-point attempts.

With the Knicks trailing by 11 at halftime, Anthony scored 12 in the third. His driving bank shot with 44.1 seconds left in the period tied the score for the first time since early in the second quarter.

But on the Bulls' next possession, Jared Jeffries was called for a foul on Ronnie Brewer. When Tyson Chandler barked to the refs, he received a technical. Korver hit that free throw, and New York never tied it again.

The Knicks had to dig out of a hole after committing five turnovers in the last 3 1/2 minutes of the first half, including one immediately after a timeout with 1:36 left. Joakim Noah had two dunks and Brewer added a third as the Bulls pulled ahead 55-42 with 25.8 seconds remaining.

With boos pouring down from the stands, Anthony missed a jumper, then missed a layup after an offensive rebound. His third try with less than a second to go finally went in.

NOTES: Rose scored at least 30 points for the fourth time in five games. ... The Bulls' nine-game road trip is the club's longest since the 1992-93 season. They improved to 2-2 after losing at Philadelphia 98-82 a night earlier. ... The Knicks got just 6 points off the bench, all by Toney Douglas. ... New York is playing three games in three days for the first time since 1999. New York must travel to Boston to play Friday night before returning home to face the Nets on Saturday. ... Knicks rookie Iman Shumpert had a career-high eight assists.

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Follow Rachel Cohen at https://twitter.com/RachelCohenAP.

Notebook: Bulls 105, Knicks 102

By Adam Zagoria, for NBA.com
Posted Thursday February 2, 2012 11:13PM

THE FACTS: Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls shook off Wednesday's loss in Philadelphia and handed the Knicks their 10th loss in 12 games, 105-102, at Madison Square Garden.

The reigning NBA MVP scored 15 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and added 13 assists and four rebounds for the Bulls (19-6).

Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony both missed potential game-tying 3 pointers in the final 11 seconds, with Anthony's coming at the buzzer.

Stoudemire finished with a season-high 34 points to go with 11 rebounds and Anthony added 26 points for the Knicks (8-14), who played the first of three games in three nights.

The Bulls played without Rip Hamilton and Luol Deng.

QUOTABLE: "I love playing here. The crowd really loves their basketball. They know their basketball. I love the energy. "
-- Rose.

THE STAT: Rose scored 15 of his team's 28 points in the fourth quarter and 22 of their 50 in the second half.

TURNING POINT: Stoudemire had a chance to tied it up at 103 but his 3-pointer clanked off the rim with 11 seconds left. Taj Gibson then made 1-of-2 free throws to make it a four-point game, 104-100.

After Rose made 1-of-2 free throws to make it 105-102, Anthony missed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer.

QUOTABLE II: "He can make that shot as well as anybody...If he's wide open I said to go ahead and take it. If not, then Melo's open on the other side."
-- Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni on Stoudemire's missed 3-pointer with 11 seconds left.

WHO'S HOT: Kyle Korver was an efficient 4-for-7 and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc in scoring 16 points for the Bulls.

WHO'S NOT: The Knicks bench. They were outscored 16-3 by the Bulls' reserves in the first half, when CJ Watson had 10. For the game, the Bulls' bench outscored the Knicks' bench, 25-6. Only Toney Douglas (six points) scored off the Knicks' bench.

QUOTABLE III: "Tonight we were just trying to redeem ourselves with this game."
-- Rose.

NOTABLE: Rose and Anthony were both named Eastern Conference starters for the Feb. 26 All-Star Game in Orlando. It is Rose's third overall selection and Anthony's fifth; Anthony is starting for the third straight year. Joining them will be LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade. Howard was the top vote-getter.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Maverick Carter, James' business manager, sat next to Knicks owner Jim Dolan. Yankees manager Joe Girardi and closer Mariano Rivera sat courtside.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Friday @ Boston, Saturday vs. Nets, Tuesday vs. Utah. For the Bulls, Saturday @ Milwaukee, Monday @ New JErsey, Wednesday @ New Orleans.

• Bulls: --
• Knicks: Davis, Harrellson

• Bulls: --
• Knicks: Chandler

• Lead Changes: 10
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #22 Bill Spooner, #47 Bennie Adams, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 19763
• Duration: 2:31