The New York Knicks knocked off the undefeated Chicago Bulls on Thursday and secured the win. The victory bumped the team up to 4-1 on the year and they now sit atop of the Eastern Conference.
New York Knicks: 2 Takeaways from the win
What a game it was on primetime. These are two teams who are both trying to make a name for themselves in a competitive conference.
The New York Knicks actually have a credible season to their name already after finishing the season as the 4th seed last year. The Bulls are trying to show that they belong in the mix for the first time.
They’ve gotten off to a hot start this season, but for most of the night, they looked overmatched against their first real test of the season. This was a different animal.
There was plenty to take away from this game for the Knicks, who now look to take this momentum to their next matchup with the Pelicans. Let’s look at both a positive and a negative from the big win in Chicago.
The New York Knicks need to close games
So far this season, the Knicks have actually closed games. Technically, they have closed games. Technically.
A win is a win, as they say.
This was a massive win for the team and to write about something negative may seem like a Debbie Downer move…maybe it is, but it’s impossible to leave this game without a slightly sour taste from how it ended.
Three times now the New York Knicks showed up in a big way against a formidable Eastern Conference opponent in the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Chicago Bulls, and two of those three times they nearly blew it.
We’re not talking about a game in which they were up 12 and the game got within 5 points.
We’re talking about having commanding leads late in the 4th quarter and completely forgetting how to play ball.
Missed free throws? Throwing away inbounds passes? Letting opponents get easy baskets?
It’s truly bizarre for a team as disciplined and dedicated to hard work as the Knicks to let this happen, but it’s happened in 2/5 games. In a way, it happened with the Orlando Magic in their only loss, except that was a halftime lead where they fell asleep and let the Magic take over. Still similar.
Whatever it may be, it has to be an elephant in the room and you know that the team will address it. This team never runs from its
mistakes.
The New York Knicks have an elite defense
Newsflash.
This is something we knew, but this game really drove it home. What a defensive display by this team.
This game had some unstoppable force vs. immovable object hype to it before the game.
The 4-0 Bulls and their offensive firepower vs. the New York Knicks stifling defense. It was New York won the battle.
It was a classic Tom Thibodeau game plan. Overload the star perimeter players with double teams and force other players to make a play.
In this case, it was double teams on Zach LaVine, forcing Alex Caruso, Patrick Williams, or whoever else to make a play.
Lonzo Ball didn’t step up. DeMar DeRozan shot 7/18.
This Bulls team had not faced a defense quite like this. Heading into the game, the Knicks were already in the top-5 in defensive field goal percentage.
The suffocating defense clearly got to LaVine, who was clearly frustrated towards the end of the game.
LaVine, DeRozan, and Ball combined to shoot 16/43 from the field — 37%.
This defense is getting scarier. There is so much speed and strength to deal with at every position. Randle and Toppin in the frontcourt, Barrett and Fournier have great size on the perimeter, and Mitchell Robinson has been an absolute tank in the middle. Makes life difficult for anyone driving to the rim.
All of the talk about New York thus far this season has been about the improved offense but don’t let it overshine just how special this defense is. This team is legit.