Pippen Ain't Easy
Fansided

Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah Wave Right Over the New York Knicks

By Dave Daniels

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The Chicago Bulls enjoyed a 111-80 victory against the New York Knicks on Saturday night that we may not tell our grandkids about one day, but it could have been just the confidence boost needed for Chicago’s favorite franchise.

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The loss was a record 60th for the Knicks franchise, and it seems that they have hit rock bottom. I know Phil Jackson kind of engineered this team to tank for Jahlil Okafor, but even “The Zenmaster” could not have predicted this level of pathetic play from the franchise he won two championships with as a player.

The Bulls knew how to beat this team, and they might even have been able to do it blindfolded. Their 50-22 point advantage in the paint is all you really need to know about the game’s offensive disparity. Will this game help the Bulls catch the Cavaliers for second in the conference? It certainly couldn’t hurt, but I still think Cleveland will have a better record when it is said and done.

Chicago was led in scoring by Nikola Mirotic, who notched 24 points in only 25 minutes, and he has proven in March to be a prolific scorer. He is now done playing basketball in this month, although, I am sure he would like to keep his scoring average where it was for the past 30 days.

“Right now, I’m going through a beautiful moment,” said Mirotic. “Not just because I’m playing good; because the team is playing good. I want to try to keep playing like this.”

They will need to lean on him in the playoffs, even if he is still coming off the bench. As for the Bulls other key players, Pau Gasol recorded his league leading 48th double-double (19 points and 12 rebounds), but it was Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah who stole headlines with the wave they performed with fans once the game was out of hand.

Don’t get me wrong. They were both solid statistically; Butler had 18 points and five steals, and Noah had six points, seven rebounds and two assists. But it was their wave with the fans that truly signified the game was over and buried.

You can almost feel the confidence surging within Chicago’s players as evidenced by Jimmy’s words after the game.

“We are getting there,” said Butler to NBA.com. “I think we can still correct a few things, but it was a great win. Guys are starting to get real comfortable on both ends of the court, which makes it easier because we have so many guys who can switch on defense.”

That type of swarming defense is exactly what the Bulls have lacked at times season, and it would be ideal for them to rediscover that part of their identity in time for playoff intensity. The Knicks, of course, are not the best team in today’s NBA, but this last win could be just what Chicago needs to enter the playoffs with a world of confidence.

Next: Harsh Reality Looms For Bulls in Playoffs

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