First loss of the season for the Bulls! Until then undefeated in 4 games, they hosted New York last night and lost nothing, 104-103. Kemba Walker (21 points at 7/12), R.J. Barrett (20 points at 8/15) led the way in scoring while Julius Randle was in a double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds and that Derrick Rose signed 12 points off the bench against his former team. The Knicks improve their encouraging record: 4-1.
The Bulls, led by the 25 points (7/17, 6 rebounds) of Zach LaVine (which now plays with a tear in a ligament in the left thumb) and the 22 points of Nikola Vucevic, did not come close to equalizing following a 12-0 when the game seemed already folded in favor of the Knicks, 104-91, 2’59 to go. A dunk by LaVine 9.5 seconds from the buzzer reduced the lead to one point.
Randle missed 2 free throws at 4.7 seconds, leaving the last possession to the locals, but DeMar DeRozan (20 points) missed a pull-up at 4.5m. The Knicks dominated the rebound 49-37 (50 points to 40 in the paint). In front of 27-25 after a quarter-time on a signed long jump shot Immanuel Quickley, they never let go of the advantage in this game.
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