1. Joakim Noah & Derrick Rose
The New York Knicks will get their energy from two players against the Chicago Bulls: Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. Whether or not you believe they’re the two best players on the team, they’re the stars who have the most to gain from this game.
On Friday, November 4, Noah and Rose will play in Chicago for the first time as members of a team other than the Bulls.
There’s no way to accurately predict how Noah and Rose will respond to playing in Chicago for the first time since being let go by the organization. Noah played for the Chicago from 2007 to 2016 and Rose did the same from 2008 to 2016.
Through that near decade, Noah and Rose became the heart and soul of an organization that hadn’t experienced any significant measure of success since Michael Jordan retired.
Rose has played quite well with the New York Knicks, averaging 16.3 points on 44.6 percent shooting. Noah is averaging 7.5 rebounds and a team-leading 5.5 assists in just 22.5 minutes, which translates to 12.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists per 36 minutes.
Beyond the numbers, the Knicks will need Noah and Rose to keep their composure and live in the moment instead of shying away from it.
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That’s a lot to ask of any person in Noah or Rose’s position, but this game could be the turning point for two of the Knicks’ most valuable players.