Where Does Wednesday’s Loss for the Bulls to the Knicks Rank This Season?
There was 13 games left in the season before the Chicago Bulls took the floor on Wednesday night against the New York Knicks to kickstart a home-and-home set. In one of the most embarrassing losses of the year, the Bulls gave up 115 points to a team that had lost 21 of their last 27 games.
There’s only one team in the NBA that could have their second-year European star score a career-high 35 points and make nine(!) three-pointers and still find a way to lose an important game at home to a team trying to lose.
Nikola Mirotic dropped 35 points on 10-of-17 shooting against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night in Chicago, but the Bulls gave up 69 points (nice) in the second and third quarters combined to lose 115-107 in the first of a 13-game stretch to close the year.
Not only were the Bulls torched on the scoreboard (thanks to a 14-for-25 shooting exhibition from the Knicks), they got absolutely pounded on the window, 53-34. New York rookie Kristaps Porzingis broke out of an extended slump to tie his career high with 29 points and 10 rebounds.
Of course he would do that against the Bulls, right?
There’s now 12 games left for the Bulls to make one final push for the postseason and energy/effort is still a focal point of why the Bulls aren’t a contender. That may be true, but the fact remains, this team just isn’t that good.
How do you lose to a team that’s lost 21 of their last 27 games at home?
And not only that, the Bulls gave up 92 points in three quarters to a team that only scores 98.5 points per contest. That’s atrocious.
Notes from Wednesday’s loss:
- Jimmy Butler may say it’s just “general soreness”, but his game is saying something different. Butler was 3-of-11 shooting from the field for just seven points. Per the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson, Butler is shooting 36.4 percent from the field since his return from the knee injury. Uh oh.
- With both battling injuries (and a minute restriction), Taj Gibson and Pau Gasol weren’t much help up front against the Knicks. The two bigs combined for 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field and just seven rebounds.
- Aaron Brooks randomly showed up in over 16 minutes of game action on Wednesday, scoring 10 points and dishing out five assists.
- Weird Bulls stat:
In terms of bad losses, I’m personally not sure where this one ranks this season, but it certainly high on the list. There was the one loss at home to Minnesota where they failed to score in overtime. There was a 31-point loss to the defending champion Golden State Warriors at home (which is somewhat understandable). They did also lose to Charlotte by 25 points and gave up 130(!) in the fifth game of the year.
Next: Derrick Rose: 'I'm a damn good player'
Regardless of where Wednesday ranks on your list, it was a horrible loss for the Bulls. Thursday brings a quick turnaround and the same opponent, so there’s not much time to refocus and figure out if this season is worth saving.