The Bulls lost to the Knicks for the second time this season.
I don’t think there is a faster way to induce rage out of a Bulls fan right now than making them read that sentence. We’ve all probably grown numb to the continued losses this season, but there is something about losing to the (now 18-42) New York Knicks that feels oh so sharp.
Even with Wendell Carter Jr. and Denzel Valentine back on the floor for the Bulls, the team still lost 125-115 to one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Bulls have now lost 10 of their last 11 games and fall to a season-high (low?) 20 games below .500.
Remember when this franchise said their goal was to make the playoffs?
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) March 1, 2020
No matter the turmoil over the last couple of seasons, Bulls fans could say to themselves “at least we’re not the Knicks.” And while that’s comparing one low bar to another, there is at least some level of comfort knowing New York’s embarrassing blunders can overshadow Chicago’s.
However, as these two teams become closer in the standings and the Bulls continue to make national headlines, the harsh reality that the Bulls could fall behind the Knicks in the “disgrace” category is settling in. After all, Knicks’ ownership already made front office changes midway through the season – we’re still only hoping the rumors are true.
Anyway, when it comes to the actual game played today, the Knicks DESTROYED the Bulls in the paint. With the Bulls top two rim protectors healthy (Gafford and Carter Jr.), the team still allowed an opponent season-high 72 points in the paint. And overall, Chicago allowed the Knicks to score over 120 points for only the second time this season.
Boylen played all of his 11 active players in the first half, and once again, displayed little consistency in terms of his rotation and game plan. The Bulls didn’t have the worst shooting performance (46.1 percent from the field and 48.6 from downtown), but other than a couple of cool blocks, their defense was atrocious from start to finish.
The only positive was the fact that White continued his impressive stretch with 22 points, knocking down four 3’s while dishing out 3 assists and recording 2 steals. Although, I think it’s worth noting that while he was on the court, the team was a -20.
I hope that while the Reinsdorfs watched the final buzzer sound, they picked up the phone and continued making their calls around the league. While a loss like this hurts quite a bit, let’s knock on wood and hope it drives home the need for change even more.