Knicks humiliate Bulls at MSG
New York held Chicago to a 135-105 loss, tying a franchise record for points scored in a first half.
By Noor Graham ·
The New York Knicks defeated the Chicago Bulls 135-105 on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, capping a night where the visitors allowed the home team to tie a franchise record of 84 points in the first half.
The Bulls entered this matchup with a 1-7 record and a grueling schedule that included two games against the defending NBA champions. The team had lost its first game against New York earlier in the season, making this the second meeting in a short span.
The defensive breakdown was immediate. The Knicks took a 43-21 lead after the first quarter, shooting 65.2% from the field. Jalen Brunson, the Finals MVP, scored 22 points in that opening period alone.
Chicago attempted to tighten up its defense in the second quarter, but the Knicks continued to score efficiently. They finished the first half with 84 points on 59% shooting from the field. The Bulls allowed 105 points total for the game.
Coach Tiago Splitter said the defense was "non-existent" from the opening tip-off. He noted that the players did not wait until the third quarter to disappoint him, handling the defensive responsibilities poorly from the start.
Rookie Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 pick in the draft, played a limited role. He scored five points and was benched after his third-quarter stint for the remainder of the game. Splitter stated that Wilson was not doing the right things on offense, defense, or with his body language.
"I didn't think he had a great game," Splitter said. "He wasn't doing the right things on offense, defense, body language, he's got to get better."
Josh Giddey provided some offensive stability, scoring 10 points and recording six assists. He hit three of his first four shots. However, his season averages remain low, with 9.1 points, 7.9 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 26.9% from three-point range.
Last season, Giddey averaged 17 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, shooting 36.4% from deep. Splitter has been trying to stagger Giddey with the second unit to find more efficiency. Giddey said the team is taking steps in the right direction, even if the win column has not shown it yet.
The Bulls face a continued stretch of difficult opponents. Giddey said the team must come in with the right attitude against every opponent, regardless of their record. He believes wins will start to come as the team continues to stick with its current approach.
