Game Analysis: Chicago Bulls Fall to Knicks in Homecoming for Rose, Noah

On Friday night, the Chicago Bulls took on the Knicks at the United Center in their first homecoming game for Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah this year.

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Both teams feature a slew of new players after a summer of offseason transactions.

Friday’s game was rather weird and yet classy on Chicago’s part for delivering tribute for former Bulls players Rose and Noah.

It was still unsettling to see the tandem suiting up in orange and blue, instead of red and black.

The Knicks got off to a hot start in the first quarter thanks to ball movement and a sense of urgency to pick up the pace and go after fast break points. New York led by as many as 16 points during the first quarter. By the end of the period, Knicks led the Bulls 32-22.

Notably, Kristaps Porzingis performed well in Chicago connecting on several field goals to start off the game. The second-year sensation out of Spain completed none of his field goals in the Knicks previous matchup where they faced off against the Houston Rockets. Knicks guard Courtney Lee also performed well shooting 5-for-5 in the first quarter to make him the first player to hit double figures.

The Bulls recovered upon the entry of the Knick’s second unit, which has struggled to put up points in game time action to this point. Contributions from shooters Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott allowed the Bulls to lead by one point at halftime. It doesn’t hurt that Chicago forced a number of second-chance opportunities thanks to the team’s effort to get after the boards. The Bulls snagged the lead going up by one to end the first half.

Highlights

Carmelo Anthony pushed the ball for an easy fast break point in first quarter. The veteran wingman’s play signaled the start of something new for New York. Knicks refused to let the Bulls set up defensively by choosing to run half-court offense they’ve so often implemented.

Rose found his groove early on getting to the bucket. The level of play exerted by the first-year New York Knick star opened the door to get his teammates more involved. Rose tallied five (out of 11) assists in the first half to mark a new season high.

Second-chance opportunities came in abundance for the Bulls with Jimmy Butler doing what he does best: get buckets.

Betting on Wade to hit a 3-point shot? You can’t sleep on him now. It’s not OK to gamble against Wade anymore.

The Positives

1. Dwyane Wade earned more than 30 points for the first time this year. Surely, it’s nice to see Chicago’s hometown hero have a hot shooting night.

1. Butler rose to the occasion. The gold medalist scored 26 points in 37 minutes. The Bulls needed every bucket Jimmy put up.

1. Starting Taj Gibson at power forward was a positive sight to see. Hoiberg appears to be settling into his place in the NBA as a head coach. He appeared to have a tough time figuring out what lineups to utilize last year and during the preseason. Taj continues to impress when he’s placed in the starting lineup.

The Negatives

1. The second-chance opportunities kept coming for the Bulls early on, but Joakim Noah and Porzingis were quite the scoring tandem along the Knicks frontline. That’s a note fans haven’t seen much of yet this year. Together, they combined for 43 points.

1. The problem is the Bulls’ ball movement could’ve been better. The team tallied a total of 15 assists by the night’s end, compared to the Knicks who logged 32.

1. The Bulls allowed Porzingis to score 27 points, which is a team high for the second-year man. Fortunately for the Bulls, Porzingis ran into foul trouble in the fourth quarter. The squad just couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity in the end.

What’s Next for Both Teams?

For the Bulls, they’ll play the Indiana Pacers on Saturday after losing to the Knicks 117-104. New York looks to string together a series of wins when they faceoff Sunday against the Utah Jazz.