vs NEW YORK KNICKS (28-43) @ CHICAGO BULLS (36-33) Game 70, Home Game 37 Wednesday, March 23, 2016 – 7:00 PM CT United Center ESPN / WPWR-TV / ESPN 1000 AM / WRTO-AM BULLS VS. KNICKS THIS SEASON Dec. 19 @ New York – L, 107-91 Jan. 1 @ Chicago – W, 108-81 March 23 @ Chicago – March 24 @ New York – ALL-TIME VS KNICKS 118-98 BULLS/KNICKS STREAKS CURRENT STREAK ......... 1 Win HOME STREAK ............... 9 Wins ROAD STREAK ............... 1 Loss Game Notes Chicago Bulls (36-33) Home 24-12 Road 12-21 Bulls Preseason Averages: PPG: 101.8 (Opp: 102.9) RPG: 47.1 (Opp: 46.3) APG: 22.7 (Opp: 22.4) SPG: 6.00 (Opp: 8.20) BPG: 5.74 (Opp: 5.70) FG%: .440 (Opp: .437) FT%: .785 (Opp: .729) 3p%: .370 (Opp: .335) Probable Bulls starters Derrick Rose - PG - Jimmy Butler - SG - Mike Dunleavy - SF - Taj Gibson - PF - Pau Gasol - C - Bulls Regular Season Stats Leaders Points: Butler 21.7, Gasol 17.0 Rebounds: Gasol 11.2, Noah 8.8 Assists: Rose 4.9, Butler 4.5 Steals: Butler 1.69, Mirotic 0.83 Blocks: Gasol 2.00, Gibson 1.06 FG%: Gibson .524, Moore .490 FT%: Snell .893, McDermott .875 3FG%: Moore .452, Holiday .448 Regular Season Player Highs 2015/2016 Points: Butler 53 Field Goals Made: Butler 15 Field Goals Attempts: Rose 34 Free Throws Made: Butler 21 Free Throws Attempts: Butler 25 3-Point FGM: Mirotic & McDermott 5 3-Point FGA: Mirotic 9 Rebounds: Gasol 19 Off. Rebounds: Gasol, Gibson & Noah 7 Def. Rebounds: Gasol 17 Assists: Gasol 14 Blocks: Gasol 6 Steals: Butler & Portis 4 Minutes: Butler 56 Double-Double: Gasol 37 Triple-Double: Gasol 2 Injury report Joakim Noah (left shoulder), E’Twaun Moore (left hamstring) and Cameron Bairstow (back) are OUT Pau Gasol (right knee swelling) is PROBABLE. For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report. New York Knicks (28-43) Home 16-23 Road 12-24 Probable Knicks starters J. Calderon - PG S. Vujacic - SG C. Anthony - SF K. Porzingis - PF R. Lopez - C Injury report Carmelo Anthony - Migraine - Probable Kevin Seraphin - Sore Left Foot - Probable Lance Thomas - Mild Strained Left MCL - Out Tony Wroten - Right Knee Rehabilitation - Out --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rough one. No D being played out there. No energy. This team is not getting the most out of their talent. Missing the playoffs in the East? Really? Last year this team was a +3.2 Off EFF - Def EFF. This year its -1.4 and the offense (and defense now) is worse. Great call on the coaching change.
Which ones? Gasol is a solid pro. Butler is a solid guy, taking ownership after the game. (would you ever really hear GarPax say things like that and mean it?) Gibson? He's a pro. Rose is the one constant question mark but he actually played fairly well last night. And the team was much better last season and Rose was on it. Team defense and team attitude can't usually be pinned on one guy, and there don't seem to be any cancers on the team as far as I can see. Weak leadership primarily. Dysfunctional front office and weak head coach. Getting McDermott and Mirotic freed from the "tyranny" of Thibs clearly wasn't the answer. During the broadcast last night Jon Berry was commenting on "what are they trying to do out there? there doesn't seem to be any real plan of attack." That's weak coaching. When proven guys that have played their hearts out for a previous coach are in such a malaise I have a hard time saying that in a matter of months they became bad professionals.
The knicks couldn't miss. Unreal! Some of it was our defense, but Melo had guys in his face on some of those 3's he still hit them. We miss Noah more than we think. He was the heart and soul of this team and the vocal leader out there, game after game. Butler, and Gasol are hurt. It is time to shut them down for the season. They need their careers prolonged. If we lose to NY again tonight, shut them down, call it a season.
