Game Thread: New York Knicks vs Chicago Bulls 1/10/2018 [Game #41]

NEW YORK -- Just 2-7 in their last nine games -- but coming off a 100-96 win at Dallas on Monday that stopped a three-game losing streak -- the New York Knicks welcome the Chicago Bulls to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday in their first matchup this season.

Like the Knicks, the Bulls have been in a funk in recent weeks, losers of five of six, with their lone win coming over cellar-dwelling Dallas, as well.

Unfortunately for Chicago, the Bulls will have to wait just a few more days for the debut of Zach LaVine; the promising young shooting guard is expected to return on Saturday against Detroit for the first time since tearing his ACL last season as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"We got a date," LaVine told reporters on Tuesday. "I'm just happy to be able to go back. It just feels really good to have something to look forward to now. You get those butterflies and that anxious feeling, about to go out and do what I do again. So I'm extremely happy just to be back at this point."

Not only will the Bulls be without LaVine, who was acquired during the offseason in the trade that landed Minnesota former Chicago star Jimmy Butler, but they might be without the services of fourth-year power forward Nikola Mirotic, whom head coach Fred Hoiberg said was battling a stomach virus.

Despite only starting three games this season after missing more than 20 games with a broken jaw suffered during a fight with teammate Bobby Portis, Mirotic leads the Bulls in scoring at 17.4 points per game and ranks second on the team with 7.0 rebounds.

His absence will be a boon to the Knicks' low-post game, which has lacked production of late as Kristaps Porzingis' scoring has dropped. Porzingis had eight 30-point games in the season's first month but only three since. He scored just 44 points during a recent three-game stretch, shooting a combined 15 for 46 from the field, before scoring 29 points on Monday against the Mavericks.

"You have to make him uncomfortable. And he's 7-3, 7-4, can put the ball on the ground, can shoot it easily. He has moves, confidence, he's a great player. I was just trying to make it uncomfortable for him," Dallas' Wesley Matthews told reporters of Porzingis. "I got nothing against him. He's a great player. I actually like watching him play. He's tremendously talented, the future of our league. It's just competition, that's all that is. I (shook his hand) after the game. No beef there."

Like the Bulls, who should get an immediate boost from the return of LaVine, the Knicks may be getting a crucial backcourt contributor back in the near future.

Tim Hardaway Jr. was a full participant in practice on Tuesday, and his return is imminent, though New York has not given him a specific return date. Hardaway has missed 18 games since being sidelined in early December with a lower left leg stress injury.

(cbssports.com via STATS)

Thanks for the game thread Rady. This game is the halfway mark for the boys, very similar record to last year when we were 18-22. Going to get Timmy back soon and Trey Burke possibly, I think the second half record looks better than the first half record. Let's go Knicks.

If we can win tonight, being halfway through the season at 20 - 21 would greatly exceed my preseason expectations for this team. Imagine then if instead of collapsing in the back 41 games, we go on at least one nice run this year. An above 0.500 season and playoff berth is a possible scenario now when it seemed like a pipe dream in August. Let?s go Knicks!

Jack has been good lately, but he is coughing the ball up like crazy here and setting up transition basket after transition basket for Chicago. We trail by 7 early in the 1st quarter.

KP with the spin move in the paint leading to the dunk brings the bench to its feet.

Our starters not getting it done defensively. Chicago with 21 points in barely 7 minutes. Ntilikina ready to check into the game with McDermott.

KP with 10 points on 5 of 7 shooting in the opening 8 minutes.

Offense is way too dependent on KP bombing away. Defense has improved though and we only trail by 2 after the Lee 3-pointer with 2 minutes to go in the 1st quarter.

Beasley gets some late 1st quarter minutes after missing the last game with an ankle injury. Knicks trail 26 - 25 at the end of the first quarter.

Sloppy opening couple minutes of the 2nd quarter. Game is tied at 30. Ntilikina looks like he has no intention of taking a shot tonight. Strictly looking to pass and the Bulls are clogging the passing lanes because of it.

Beasley with 10 off the bench and just blocked Nwaba at the rim. Hes in the lineup with KP, Quinn, Baker and Jack. Kind of a hybrid lineup but we need to get Beas more involved when Tim comes back.

tiger0330 said:

Beasley with 10 off the bench and just blocked Nwaba at the rim. Hes in the lineup with KP, Quinn, Baker and Jack. Kind of a hybrid lineup but we need to get Beas more involved when Tim comes back.

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Beasley is going berserk. 16 points on 6 of 7 shooting in 14 minutes. Knicks lead 52 - 48 at the half.

htr10 said:

Sloppy opening couple minutes of the 2nd quarter. Game is tied at 30. Ntilikina looks like he has no intention of taking a shot tonight. Strictly looking to pass and the Bulls are clogging the passing lanes because of it.

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I was listening to a Knicks podcast actually about the job Horn had been doing but the host said Nits might not wind up as the Knicks future PG, mentioned his handle and inability to break down a defense as the reasons. Today you saw him take an ugly runner and all he does is hang around the 3 pt line despite him being a less than 30% shooter, how about moving without the ball and looking for backdoor cuts. He's a rookie but I think I expected his game was more NBA ready. O

Bulls miss Nico and rumors are that he wants to be traded and the Bulls are going to accommodate him. He can be traded Jan 15 as a signed RFA. Too bad about that Portis fight but if it was me I'd have a tough time playing with Portis also.

Nits is a 31.9% 3pt shooter not less than 30pct

That Markkanen kid may be a better shooter than KP.

CLee, KP, Beas, Tim and Kanter should win you some games. The Knicks are not going to win only 13 games down the stretch like last now is that a good or bad thing picking mid 1st round pick. Some think thats the worst thing the Knicks could do is finish with a so so record and pick 13 in the draft.

tiger0330 said:

That Markkanen kid may be a better shooter than KP.

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He?s getting casually defended by KP and being left open to drain 3 point shots with minimal effort. KP has the other team?s defense collapsing upon him every time he touches the ball. If Markkanen keeps playing well and he eventually starts getting the defensive attention that KP gets, we?ll find out just how good Markkanen really is.

He ain't John Wall but a 7fter going coast to coast taking the D RB and dunking it at the other end, juking Doug to do it was impressive.

Markkanen has huge offensive upside, but he?s 7 foot and averages 0.5 blocks per game. That?s not what you want to see from his defense.