11.30.05 Game Preview: Chicago Bulls @ New York Knicks

<div align="center"> <font color=""White"">@</font>
<font color=""DarkRed"">Chicago Bulls (7-5)</font> @ <font color=""DarkOrange"">New York Knicks (4-9)</font>
Time: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30pm at Knicks
TV: WCIU, NBALP


<u>Probable Starting Five</u>

<font color="DarkRed">Chicago Bulls</font>



<font size=""1""><font color=""DarkRed"">PG</font>- Chris Duhon
<font color=""DarkRed"">SG</font>- Kirk Hinrich
<font color=""DarkRed"">SF</font>-Andres Nocioni
<font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- Michael Sweetney
<font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Tyson Chandler</font>

<font size=""1"">Coach: Scott Skiles</font>
____________________________


<font color=""DarkOrange"">New York Knicks</font>



<font size=""1""><font color=""DarkOrange"">PG</font>- Nate Robinson
<font color=""DarkOrange"">SG</font>-Stephon Marbruy
<font color=""DarkOrange"">SF</font>-Malik Rose
<font color=""DarkOrange"">PF</font>- Channing Frye
<font color=""DarkOrange"">C</font>- Antonio Davis</font>

<font size=""1"">Coach: Larry Brown</font>


<u>Injury Report</u>
<font size=""1"">
Eddy Curry Injury: Strained Left Calf Status: GTD
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<u>Game Most Valuable Player</u>

[IMGR]http://www.nba.com/media/bulls/gordon_050115.jpg[/IMGR] Ben Gordon struggled with his shot last night against the Orlando Magic, and finished the game with only seven total points. You can bet that Ben Gordon will be looking to avenge his performance on basketballs biggest stage Madison Square Garden tonight. He did not play to many minutes against the Magic. Which will serve him well for this game. A lot of the guys will be tired in the second part of this back to back set but with Gordon having a little more rest than some of the other key guys he should be the most prepared Bull for this game.

Ben has a history of stepping his game up depending how big the stage is he is on. Whether it is the NCAA tourney or the fourth quarter of Bulls games, and expect tonight to be no different he will play every minute tonight as if it is his last, and have a huge game. The Bulls scoring has been pretty even so far this year, but I think Gordon is arguably the best scorer on the team, and if anyone starts to pull away as the teams true “leading scorer” it will be him.

<div align="center"><u> Predicted Numbers: 20 points, 5 rebounds,3 assists</u></div>



<u>Keys to the Game</u>



<ul><font color="DarkRed"> They call them free throws</font> the baby Bulls shot a sorry percentage from the line against the magic lucky due to Luol Deng‘s big game they where able to pull out a win. However, I don‘t think they can pull this game out shooting free throws like they shot last night the Knicks are a team known for making late runs, and if the Bulls cannot knock down free shots they will lose.[/list]

<ul><font color="DarkRed">Hit the boards</font> I don‘t know if they where trying to save their energy for tonight or what, but Sweentey, and Chandler had a horrible game in terms of rebounding last night against Orlando. Sweets who averages roughly eight rebounds on the season grabbed a total of four, or one a quarter. Then Tyson Chandler though a little more respectable with seven total rebounds was four rebounds short of his season average. One of the big things the Knicks have done in their wins this season is out hustle other teams, and beat them on the boards. The Bulls have to make this a primary area of concern in order to place themselves in a better opportunity to win.[/list]

<ul><font color="DarkRed"> A three point shot counts for zero points if you miss</font> the Bulls jacked up 23 three point shots in the game against Orlando making a grand total of six resulting in a less then stellar 26% shooting effort from the arc. If this team wants three points that badly , drive the ball to the basket, and draw a foul. The three point shot obviously is not working right now.[/list]

<ul><font color="DarkRed">Get the guards going early </font> Chris Duhon, and Ben Gordon could potentially both have break out games tonight. Athletic young guards/swing men have rocked the Knicks this season, and there is no reason that Gordon/Duhon cannot do the same. Same goes for Kirk Hinrich he had a big game against the Magic scoring 19 points, but at the same time the Bulls seemed to forget about Kirk during the later stages of the game, and not get him the ball.[/list]




<ul><font color="DarkOrange">Cannot fall behind early</font> the Knicks have made a reputation this season of being a comeback threat every single night. Even against the Heat who where destroying them for three quarters they managed to lose by only 13 points, after being down by over 20. If they can do what they do in the fourth quarter for at least three out of the four quarters of the game they will have a good chance to win.[/list]

<ul><font color="DarkOrange">Spread the ball around </font> the Bulls are one of the most talented young defensive units in the league if the Knicks players namely Marbury, Richardson, Crawford, Robinson, etc start trying to get theirs and not get their teammates shots as well the Bulls will force turnovers, and the Bulls will win.[/list]



My Prediction:
Again for the Bulls this is one of those games where you have to show people what you are made of. This should be a guaranteed win no offense to the Knicks organization in anyway, but when a team is well under .500 and really struggling to find their identity other teams who are playoff contenders have to smell the blood and take advantage. The 76ers did that for three quarters when they played the Knicks they let up. Bulls have to establish their dominance early, and control the tempo. If the Bulls do not win this game I will be shell shocked.

 

I won't go so far as saying i would be shocked if they lose (every game has to be played and off nights are always possible...), but i definitely think the Bulls should win this one. Like BKS said, the Knicks are not a playoff team (yet), and if you want to be seen as a playoff caliber team, you have to win the games against teams like this.

 

the Chicago Bulls vs the ex-Chicago Bulls.

 

Im very excited bout this Game. Battle against ex-players. Davis/Curry will be at their best and so will Sweets and TT will be at his best on the bench talking trash. The knicks have to get out early and not fall behind. They also have to step it up in the 3rd where they have lost most of their games. This can be an early playoff preview. I got the knicks by 5.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GotSkillz92:</div><div class="quote_post">Im very excited bout this Game. Battle against ex-players. Davis/Curry will be at their best and so will Sweets and TT will be at his best on the bench talking trash. The knicks have to get out early and not fall behind. They also have to step it up in the 3rd where they have lost most of their games. This can be an early playoff preview. I got the knicks by 5.</div>
Sweetney wont be on the bench, because he starts, and is playing really well, and TT wont be on the bench, because Skiles told him just to stay home. He is not traveling with the team.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Best Kept Secret:</div><div class="quote_post">Sweetney wont be on the bench, because he starts, and is playing really well, and TT wont be on the bench, because Skiles told him just to stay home. He is not traveling with the team.</div>

I never said Sweets was going 2 be on the bench. I said TT will be at his best. Not their best..

 

Did anyone notice the Bulls have the NBA's longest current winning streak going into this game?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GotSkillz92:</div><div class="quote_post">I never said Sweets was going 2 be on the bench. I said TT will be at his best. Not their best..</div>
My bad the way you said it was confusing. I should have read it better though, my bad.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Did anyone notice the Bulls have the NBA's longest current winning streak going into this game? </div>

Yep sort of reminiscent of last year.


Man I’m going to have to watch this game on MSG, and have to listen to Clyde Frazier’s annoying play by play. I might just mute the TV and watch the game like that.

 

this shouldn't be a hard game, i just hate seeing antonio davis in a knicks unifrom

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting number99:</div><div class="quote_post">this shouldn't be a hard game, i just hate seeing antonio davis in a knicks unifrom</div>
I hate seeing Sweetney in a bulls uniform. LoL Bks, Walt isnt that bad.

 

Ben Gordon is not just on fire he is burning up right now. After coming off the bench early due to foul trouble to Hinrich he has hit two threes in a row, and has six points in less then one minute of action. Nate Robinson is doing nothing, but hurting the Knicks right now he is chucking up shot after shot who he think he is? It’s good to see a rookie with confidence, but this is bad. Now Larry brown takes him out of the game. Good if your a Knicks fan bad for us Bulls fans.

 

Wow, it looks like Ben has come out of the gates looking to be more of a factor thus far. 15 pts, and all four of his FGs have come from behind the arc. Now this is the Ben Gordon that I want to see, not the one that dropped 7 the other night.

 

Wow surprise, surprise, surprise after dominating the Knicks since the opening tip the Knicks have started there usual late comeback quarter they are on a 7-3 run, and Robinson is at the line with about three minutes left in the third. This whole turn around started with a Carwford steal that head to a Marbury lay up, then Jackie Butler ended the Bulls chances of getting some easy points on the other end, and Crawford hit the shot for the Knicks to really spark this comeback for them. The Bulls are not relinquishing this lead completely though.

 

ben gordon 6-15 so far early in the 4th, i dont think thats good shooting percentage for him, but hes feeling his 3's though... and ben needs to drive to the hoop more he take way too many jump shots

 

jesus we are getting killed in the 4th.

 

Scott Skiles is getting on my last nerves right now I am yelling at the TV and everything. We lost our lead, and this guy is keeping Songaila, Nocioni, and Pike out there. Nocioni thinks he is a all star and is shooting every single time down the court. Songaila and Pike I have no idea why they are in the game, and Skiles is not calling a time out or anything. It is like shoot around for the Knicks right now. We cannot even convert on a damn fast break come on Bulls!

Edit: A waist of two and a half hours of my life. Bad coaching, stupid fouls, bad shot selection, wrong personnel only positive was Ben Gordon other than that we sucked.

 

37 fouls and two were fouled out. sheesh.

 

Damn my boy Crawford for owning.

AND WTF.

Piatkowski got burned on defense everytime down the court, and made a terrible turnover. Good move Scotty.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">[IMGR]http://www.nba.com/media/bulls/luoldeng_200_051129.jpg[/IMGR] Jamal Crawford turned it on in the second half against his former team. His teammates joined him in the fourth quarter.

Crawford scored 23 of his season-high 28 points after the break and the New York Knicks scored the first 13 points of the fourth quarter en route to a 109-101 comeback victory over the Chicago Bulls, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

The Knicks, who rallied from a 16-point deficit to top Philadelphia on Saturday, entered the final period trailing, 82-74, but opened with an 18-2 burst.

Much of the damage came at the line as New York made 12 free throws during the burst and was 45-of-57 overall.

Traded from the Bulls to the Knicks in the summer of 2004, Crawford led the Knicks with more than just scoring. New York tied it, 82-82, when he led a fast break and drew the defense by driving to the basket before throwing a behind-the-back pass to Trevor Ariza, who dunked over forward Andres Nocioni.

After Crawford, who was 10-of-10 from the line, sank a pair to close out the 13-0 burst, he finished off the 18-2 run by drilling a 3-pointer to make it 92-84 with 6:19 remaining.

Rookie Channing Frye scored 21 points and Stephon Marbury added 18 on 12-of-14 free-throw shooting as New York had its best offensive output of the season.

Ben Gordon scored a season-best 28 points thanks to a career-high seven 3-pointers for Chicago, which had won its last three road contests. </div>
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Recap l Box Score l Updated Standings</div></font>

 

Like i said, off nights are always possible...