Jalen Brunson – a Chicagoland native – was extra locked in to start Derrick Rose’s big night. The New York Knicks star was carving up the Bulls’ perimeter defense in an all-too-familiar fashion. He used his elite combination of craftiness and strength to score 26 points in the first half. Karl-Anthony Towns also played a key part in making Chicago’s defense look like its early-season self, adding 17 points over his first two quarters.
Especially as turnovers stacked up and rebounds bounced in the wrong direction, this felt like a game the Knicks would control. Then, Zach LaVine and Coby White must have channeled their inner Rose. White nailed a buzzer-beater at the end of the first quarter to cap off a double-digit opening frame. By the time halftime rolled around, he and LaVine had combined for 35 of the team’s 63 points.
This dynamic duo looked eager to make the man of the hour proud. They carried this momentum through a 25-minute-long halftime ceremony into the second half. Chicago would proceed to dominate in a way we haven’t really seen all season. They shot 17-25 in the quarter and went 10-16 in the paint. Anything they wanted on the floor, they were getting. And it led to a ridiculous 41-17 advantage in the quarter.
Indeed, the Bulls were playing like a team that wasn’t going to spoil a franchise legend’s night. They remained in control during the fourth quarter and walked away with a crowd-pleasing 139-126 victory. Yes, I know we’ve talked plenty about the adverse effects of adding wins to the board this season. But this was a game that felt right to win.
Is there more to this season-high-scoring performance? Of course. But I’m writing this from my car in the United Center parking lot, and I’d be lying if I said my hands aren’t cold and my eyes aren’t fried. I spent the better part of the evening updating our live blog on my phone and documenting the full experience over social media. My brain is mad at me for all the screen time.
If you missed any of that and want to catch up on the Derrick Rose fun, check out the feed here! You can also see his tear-jerking intro during the halftime ceremony in the post shared below …
Player Grades
Once again, the brain is working at half-speed, so I’m going to keep these pretty short tonight!
Coby White & Zach LaVine – A+
Stats: 66 PTS, 24-38 FG, 12-19 3PT
Coby White was largely responsible for the long-range success tonight, as his nine makes were a new career-high. As for LaVine, he was in full attack mode downhill, making the Knicks pay for not having a sizable rim protector.
Nikola Vucevic – A
Stats: 22 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST
Speaking of not having a rim protector, Nikola Vucevic carried his weight and finished 10-19 from the field.
Josh Giddey – B+
Stats: 15 PTS, 10 REB, 8 AST
Another well-rounded night from the young guard, who also made a key difference on the glass against a team that holds the fifth-highest REB% in the NBA.
Julian Phillips – B
Stats: 7 PTS, 1 AST, 1 STL
I know the stat line may not look all that impressive, but Julian Phillips helped give this team a spark during their dominant third-quarter run. His athleticism in the open floor was a difference-maker tonight.
Box Score
Check out the full box score here.
