New York Knicks: Players Who Stepped Up Against The Chicago Bulls

Carmelo Anthony

During the first half, Carmelo Anthony’s aggressiveness helped set the tone for the New York Knicks on offense. He didn’t convert with an ideal level of efficiency, but his willingness to take tough shots kept the Chicago Bulls’ defense honest.

It was in the second half that Anthony caught fire and helped lead the Knicks to a 28-point third quarter and a 33-point fourth quarter.

Anthony finished the game with 25 points, seven rebounds, three offensive rebounds, four assists, and a block in 36 minutes. He shot 9-of-22 from the field, went 2-of-6 from beyond the arc, and converted at a rate of 5-of-5 at the free throw line.

Though he didn’t start with an efficient shooting performance, Anthony turned it up and helped lead the Knicks to a strong performance against a rival.

Anthony’s role in 2016-17 is rather vast, but the key to it will be to provide big shots when they’re most necessary. He did that against Chicago by hitting shots in isolation and trusting his teammates enough to work off-ball.

With 17 of his 25 points coming in the second half, Anthony did an outstanding job of closing out a postseason-caliber opponent in a huge road game.