Bulls-Knicks Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Jan 11 2013 1:17AM

Carmelo Anthony is back, and the New York Knicks hope it stays that way this time against the Chicago Bulls.

With Anthony returning from a suspension, the Knicks will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season by beating the Bulls for the second time in eight tries Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

Anthony, second in the league with 29.0 points per game, was suspended one game by the NBA for confronting Kevin Garnett after New York's 102-96 loss to Boston on Monday. The superstar forward was angry about Garnett's choice words during a fourth-quarter altercation, going toward the Celtics' locker room and then waiting near Boston's team bus after the game.

Without him Thursday, the Knicks (23-12) turned in one of their worst offensive performances of the season in an 81-76 loss at Central Division-leading Indiana. They made 34.8 percent from the floor for their worst shooting display since hitting a season-low 32.1 percent in a 93-85 defeat at Chicago on Dec. 8.

Anthony missed that meeting with a cut on his finger that required stitches.

He had 29 points against the Bulls in the most recent matchup Dec. 21, but was ejected with 6:45 to play in a 110-106 home defeat due to his second technical foul. It's unclear if any emotions will carry over after Tyson Chandler, Joakim Noah and Knicks coach Mike Woodson were also tossed in the fourth quarter of that game, which Chicago led by as many as 25.

"(Things) were definitely escalating, but I don't think they're used to being down that much, too," Noah said of the Knicks that night. "If they were up 20 points, I don't think they would have been that frustrated."

New York has dropped six of the past seven meetings with the Bulls, and three in a row since Anthony had 43 points and hit the decisive 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left in overtime during a 100-99 home win April 8.

Chicago (19-14) is just 4-4 since last facing the Knicks, and is also looking for a bounce-back performance after falling 104-96 to Milwaukee on Wednesday to halt its three-game winning streak.

"We did not do the things we should have done to win," coach Tom Thibodeau told the team's official website. "Things change quickly in this league. If you don't play with great intensity, especially with people out, you are not going to give yourself a chance to win. If you want to make it a 'you shoot, I shoot' type of game, you're not going to go anywhere on that."

Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 11 rebounds and is enjoying perhaps his best stretch in three seasons with the Bulls, compiling double-doubles in six consecutive games while averaging 23.0 points and 11.8 rebounds.

He hasn't been nearly that productive in the two meetings with the Knicks this season, totaling 21 points with 17 boards.

Luol Deng and Marco Belinelli have done much of the damage in those games. Belinelli scored 22 points in each while Deng totaled 51 - with 29 and 13 rebounds coming at MSG last month.

While the Bulls know they'll have to contend with Anthony, they're unaware of how much they'll see of Amare Stoudemire.

The big man was limited to 22 minutes and nine points Thursday after doctors told Woodson to limit his playing time as he continues to work his way toward full strength following surgery on his left knee. He's averaging 9.8 points in five games since his return.

Injuries have forced Stoudemire to miss four straight meetings with Chicago after averaging 27.0 points over the previous two.

Deng scores 33; Bulls go to 3-0 against Knicks

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted Jan 12 2013 12:26AM

NEW YORK (AP) Joakim Noah loved shutting up the chatter almost as much as shutting down the Knicks.

He heard how Carmelo Anthony would come out firing after his suspension, how the Knicks would pay the Bulls back for a tense, testy meeting last month.

Turned out to be the same no contest it was last time.

Luol Deng scored a season-high 33 points in Chicago's third victory over New York this season, a 108-101 win Friday that sent the Knicks to their season-high third straight loss.

"I think it was a big game. A lot of people watching and everybody was saying the Knicks were going to get revenge for what happened last time, nah, nah, nah," Noah said, unable to contain his postgame smile. "And we came back, held it down again."

Noah couldn't contain his excitement while playing in front of family and friends, even breaking out his gun salute that he vowed to shelve after the shootings at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school, apologetically saying he just got too hyped up.

Topping the 29 points he scored here last month, Deng shot 13 of 18 from the field and also led the defensive effort that contained Anthony in the decisive first half of his return from a one-game suspension.

Carlos Boozer added 17 points for the Bulls, whose offense won't be at full strength until Derrick Rose is back from knee surgery, yet they still shot 57 percent.

Anthony ended up with 39 points for the Knicks, who were roughed up again a night after losing in Indiana. He shot 14 of 32 but said his struggles had nothing to do with Deng and that he simply missed shots he normally makes.

Without starting point guard Raymond Felton and key big men Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace, they lack the depth or sharpness on either end they had during their fast start to the season.

"We definitely don't want to lose. We've got to bounce back, take it one day at a time, one game at a time," Anthony said. "Sunday is our next game, New Orleans, and that's a game that we have to go get. It's a must-win."

Rose is practicing and nearing his return after tearing up his knee in the opener of last season's playoffs. The Bulls have managed to stay among the top teams in the East without him, and three times have outclassed a Knicks team that has been in or near the conference lead all season.

"We've showed it this year, when we really focus and lock in, whoever we play we've been able to play with them, all the top teams, play them close whether we win or lose," Deng said. "We know that when we show up, and you know, stick to the game plan, we can really play with anyone in this league."

Richard Hamilton had 14 points as Chicago won for the fourth time in five games.

J.R. Smith shot 4 of 17 for his 13 points as the Knicks lost for the fifth time in seven games. Tyson Chandler grabbed 18 rebounds.

The Bulls held the Knicks to then-season lows of 85 points and 32 percent shooting in an eight-point victory in the first meeting, a game Anthony missed because of a finger injury.

He played the second one but was in the locker room before it ended, getting thrown out of a game that featured nine technical fouls and four ejections in a game the Bulls were dominating until the Knicks make it look respectable after all the fireworks were finished.

This one went the same way with Chicago building a 25-point lead before a Knicks flurry at the end made it look close on the scoreboard.

Anthony sat out Thursday's 81-76 loss in Indiana for his postgame confrontation with Kevin Garnett after a loss to Boston here Monday, and Knicks coach Mike Woodson hoped the NBA's second-leading scorer would come out strong.

Instead, Anthony missed 10 of his 14 shots in the first half before nearly ending up with another 40-point game to add to the pair he had last week.

Boozer had his streak of double-doubles snapped at six, but Chicago had more than enough to improve to 9-1 against East teams on the road and 16-5 overall against the conference.

The Bulls scored the first five points and just kept pouring it on from there. They hit 11 of 19 shots in the first quarter, limited Anthony to 1 of 8 shooting and led by as many as 15 before taking a 29-18 advantage to the second.

Having already taken the fans out of the game, the Bulls then turned them on the Knicks. Deng had the last five points of a 17-6 run to open the second that gave Chicago a 46-24 lead, the boos growing with each basket.

The lead peaked at 25 when Deng picked up a turnover and dribbled all the way for a layup, and the Bulls took a 57-36 bulge to the locker room.

Chicago outshot New York 57.5 percent to 29.8 percent in the first half.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Steve Novak and Anthony brought the Knicks within 103-96 with 1:07 remaining, but Marco Belinelli hit five free throws from there to close it out.

The Knicks announced before the game that Camby, who had been starting, would miss two to four weeks after reinjuring his left foot. Woodson started Kurt Thomas in his forward spot and also benched Ronnie Brewer, who had started all but one of the first 35 games, and gave James White his third start of the season.

With Wallace still out with his foot injury and Amare Stoudemire on a minutes restriction as he plays his way back into shape following knee surgery, the Knicks lack the big bodies to face a physical team such as the Bulls.

"Whenever somebody goes down, somebody has to step up," Chandler said. "It's been unfortunate for us because it's kind of been a revolving door, in and out, guys getting hurt and banged up. But that's not an excuse. Somebody has step up and we have to fill the spot as a team."

Jason Kidd missed all six shots in a dreadful, no-point, no-assists performance.

Notes: Woodson wasn't sure if the Knicks would bring Iman Shumpert with them to London next week for their game against Detroit or leave him back in New York to work out or even play with their NBA Development League team. Shumpert has just been cleared to resume full workouts after tearing his ACL in last year's playoffs. ... Chicago has now won or tied the season series every year since 2001 except 2010-11.

Notebook: Bulls 108, Knicks 101

Adam Zagoria, for NBA.com
Posted Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:23 PM - Updated Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:23 PM

THE FACTS: Carmelo Anthony received a huge ovation from the Madison Square Garden crowd during introductions, but failed to lead the Knicks to victory in his first game back from a one-game suspension after the Kevin Garnett incident.

Anthony scored 29 of his game-high 39 points in the second half, but the Chicago Bulls led the Knicks from start to finish en route to an 108-101 victory.

Luol Deng scored a season-high 33 points on 13-for-18 shooting for the Bulls, now 3-0 against New York this season. Carlos Boozer added 17 points and six rebounds and Richard Hamilton scored 14 points. Chicago (20-14) has won four of its last five.

J.R. Smith went 4-for-17 for 13 points for the Knicks (23-13), who have lost three straight for the first time this season. After starting the season 10-0 at home, they are 2-4 since.

QUOTABLE: "It's another game and I shot well last time [at the Garden]. I've always loved playing here. It's just the way games go."
-- Luol Deng

THE STAT: Anthony entered averaging an NBA-best 9.9 first-quarter points but looked rusty in scoring just four points on 1-for-8 shooting in the first quarter. He had 10 points on 4-for-14 shooting at the break. None of his baskets came outside the paint.

TURNING POINT: Chicago raced out to a 29-18 first-quarter lead and then pushed the advantage to 57-36 at the break. Deng had 21 points at halftime, making 3-for-4 from deep.

QUOTABLE II: "We never had a chance to even be in the game the way we started the game."
-- Knicks coach Mike Woodson

HOT: Deng killed the Knicks for the second straight game. His previous season-high was 29 in the Dec. 21 win at the Garden. He has now scored 62 points in his last two games against New York this season.

NOT: Playing the second night of a back-to-back, 39-year-old Jason Kidd went 0-for-6 with no points and no assists. Amar'e Stoudemire also had a rough night, notching five points, one rebound and five fouls in 19 minutes.

QUOTABLE III: "It's easy to get up for games like this, big stage, playing in the Garden. I wish there were more games here."
-- Bulls' Joakim Noah

NOTABLE: Woodson entered the game trying to limit Stoudemire (knee) to 20 minutes, but said it's difficult. "It's tough because I'm constantly turning to the scorer's table or whoever's keeping my minutes to warn me on where he is throughout he course of the game," he said. "I tried to time it perfect in terms of siting him for a while and trying to save him toward the latter part of the game. We were right on the money, almost." In his previous five games Stoudemire has played 17, 21, 17, 28 and 21 ½ minutes.

NOTABLE II: An MRI revealed that Marcus Camby has a strained left plantar fascia and will be out approximately 2-4 weeks, the Knicks announced before the game. Camby, 38, reinjured the foot during Thursday's loss at Indiana. "I thought [Thursday] night was the best I've seen him play in terms of moving around," coach Mike Woodson said. "So obviously the leg, or foot, was feeling better. Hey, it's another setback but you gotta keep it moving. We'll get him back rehabbed again and then try to get him back out on the floor when we can."

QUOTABLE IV: "I'm the coach, I gotta get us out of this rut."
-- Mike Woodson

INSIDE THE ARENA: Drew Barrymore, Edie Falco, Jon Stewart, Woody Allen, John Turturro and John McEnroe sat courtside.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Sunday vs. New Orleans, Thursday vs. Detroit (London), Jan. 21 vs. Brooklyn. For the Bulls, Saturday vs. Phoenix, Monday vs. Atlanta, Wednesday @ Toronto.

• Bulls: Rose
• Knicks: Felton, Shumpert

• Bulls: --
• Knicks: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #17 Joe Crawford, #26 Pat Fraher, #58 Josh Tiven
• Attendance: 19033
• Duration: 2:30