Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett lead Knicks to 6th straight victory in win over Bulls
CHICAGO — Jalen Brunson and the Knicks punked the Bulls in their own building.
Two days prior, Brunson sent defender Alex Caruso to the ground with a crossover dribble before burying the dagger 3-pointer in overtime. Then on Friday — against the same opponent in the same United Center — Brunson was a dead-eye marksman while nailing a career-high six 3-pointers, as the Knicks swept their two-game away series over the Bulls with a 114-91 cakewalk.
The Knicks (16-13) are now the hottest team in the Eastern Conference with six straight wins but don’t ask coach Tom Thibodeau about the positive big picture because — good or bad — he’ll always be Mr. One Day At A Time.
“I’m not taking the cheese,” the Knicks coach said with a smile.
Friday reached the point of embarrassment for the Bulls when the fans booed their performance, left in mass early in the fourth quarter and then wildly cheered Knicks point guard Derrick Rose.
Rose, the former Bulls great who has been out of the Knicks rotation, asked to play in garbage time as the crowd chanted, “We want Derrick.” His 3-pointer prompted a standing ovation.
Rose said his family was in the crowd crying
“I could kinda block it out, but that’s because I’m actually playing,” Rose said. “I gotta get that out my mind before I actually go out there and play, but if it was more of a ceremony-type thing, I’m sure it would’ve got to me, too.”
Brunson, who grew up in the Chicago area and won an Illinois State title at nearby Stevenson High, finished with 22 points, six assists and three steals Friday. Helped by RJ Barrett (27 points) and Quentin Grimes (22) and Julius Randle (19), the Knicks were well-balanced and swept the two-game road series in the Windy City.
“I just think we’re just chipping away,” Brunson said. “Rome wasn’t built in a day. So we just have to keep getting better, getting better, better and better every day. We can still learn from these wins and get better from these wins and try to keep building and keep trusting each other and keep putting us in positions where we can help each other out.”
It was a rough night for Bulls coach Billy Donovan, who did nothing with the film of Wednesday night’s loss to counter. The Knicks won again by controlling the glass and burying 3-pointers. The only difference was Friday being a blowout, with the Knicks sitting comfortably for the entire second half.
As evidenced by the reaction to Rose, it’s easier these days for Chicago fans to focus on the past instead of the depressing present.
The Bulls (11-17), one of the NBA’s biggest disappointments, shot well enough Friday at 47 percent but again couldn’t keep the Knicks off the glass.
Tom Thibodeau’s squad grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, including four from Mitchell Robinson and six from Isaiah Hartenstein. The Bulls? Two measly offensive rebounds total.
Brunson had 15 points in the first half while nailing 5 of 6 from beyond the arc.
“Just luck,” Brunson joked.
SPARTACUS ROSE
At the urging of the Chicago media, Derrick Rose has been doing much reflecting and legacy debating during his extended trip back home.
Rose said he’s not close to retiring, but he was asked Friday about having his jersey retired at the United Center and becoming a candidate for the Hall of Fame.
On having his No. 1 jersey retired by the Bulls, Rose said, “Of course I’ve thought about it, but only from people asking me about it. Yeah, for me it wouldn’t be a big problem, but for my family members to see that and the people that have supported me all these years to be part of it, that would be cool. I know the love I’ve received, no matter if it’s here or somewhere else, that’s all I need.”
On the Hall of Fame, Rose, the former MVP and Rookie of the Year, said it’d be a nice honor but he’d still be forgotten eventually like the gladiators of ancient Rome and Greece, “Who wouldn’t want to make the Hall of Fame one day? But there are a couple ways you could look at it. I’d be very grateful for that, but at the same time can someone in here name a famous gladiator? I’m saying it in a way that like in 200-300 years, nobody is going to care about what went on.
“For me, the knowledge, the wisdom, the love, the capital I got from this sport allowed me to do a lot, and I’m very grateful and appreciative of that. The things I want to do after basketball I feel like is going to be bigger than what I do in basketball.”
ARCH IS BACK
Ryan Arcidiacono returned to the active list after a seven-game absence because of an ankle sprain. The Villanova point guard hasn’t scored a point all season.
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