NY Knicks: Spirits were high after the win over the woeful. After the game coach D’ Antono talk about the ball movement. When the ball is moving it allows our offense to jell, and it’s easy for us to find the open man which makes it much easier to transition to the defensive end. Landry Fields echoed those same sentiments; ball movement gives our team the flow we need to be successful.
Tonight the Knicks face the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls and last season MVP Derrick Rose. Although the Knicks were energized, it was almost impossible to stop Derrick Rose. Iman Shumpert was the best possible candidate but he just wasn’t quick enough to stop the penetration of Rose.
Carmelo tried to be more of a facilitator in the first half, getting his teammate involved. When the smoke cleared on the first half of play, Anthony’s two early assists looked inconsequential next to his four turnovers and 3-10 shooting. In the second half, he returned to his roots as a more decisive and focused scorer, finishing with 26 points on 10-26 shooting and just three assists.
Amar’e Stoudemire was on his game as he carried the Knicks in the first half. I guess he was showing the fans and coaches that he to should be an All-Star. Amar’e’s game-high 34 points represented a career best against Chicago and marked the first time he has scored more than 25 points in a game this season (he did so 37 times in 2010-11).
Although the Knicks showed they can play with the elite teams in the league, now they have to figure out how to beat those team. The Bulls would go to win 105 to 102, dropping the Knicks to 8-14 on the season: ninth in the conference.