December 14, 2022; New York Knicks forward Julius Randle on offense against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVineat United Center — © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Keys to Chicago Bulls’ rematch vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks beat the Bulls 128-120 in overtime in their last meeting on Wednesday.

Author:
Stephen Beslic
Dec 16, 2022 9:40 AM EST

In this story:

The Chicago Bulls (11-16) host the New York Knicks (15-13) tonight, coming off a heartbreaking 128-120 overtime home loss on Wednesday in the first game of this back-to-back.

DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 32 points and five rebounds, and Zach LaVine added 25 points and five rebounds in the loss.

Lonzo Ball is still out with a left knee injury as the Bulls look to avoid losing their third straight game. Ayo Dosunmu (abdomen) is listed as questionable for this game.

New York Knicks (15-13) vs. Chicago Bulls (11-16)

Friday, December 16 – 08:00 PM ET at United Center

New York Knicks

Points Per Game: 114.3 (13th of 30)
Opponent Points Per Game: 113.2 (14th of 30)
Bench Points Per Game: 35.1 (12th of 30)
Pace: 99.3 (16th of 30)
Offensive Rating: 113.4 (13th of 30)
Defensive Rating: 112.3 (11th of 30)
Net Rating: +1.1 (13th of 30)

Chicago Bulls

Points Per Game: 113.6 (14th of 30)
Opponent Points Per Game: 113.8 (16th of 30)
Bench Points Per Game: 33.3 (16th of 30)
Pace: 100.6 (9th of 30)
Offensive Rating: 111.6 (19th of 30)
Defensive Rating: 111.9 (8th of 30)
Net Rating: -0.3 (17th of 30)

Contain Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson was listed as questionable with a right ankle injury he sustained in the Knicks’ 112-99 home win against the Kings on Sunday, but he played against the Bulls and was the difference-maker.

Brunson finished with 30 points (11-of-21 from the field), seven assists, and two rebounds. He scored seven points in overtime, including a huge three-pointer with under 30 seconds to play. Brunson’s availability changed everything, and the Bulls won’t beat the Knicks on Friday unless they contain him.

“He wants to win. It’s where his joy comes from. It’s the winning. If he scored two points and we won, he’d be thrilled,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said after Wednesday’s game. “That’s what I love about him. And he loves to win. He loves when his teammates do well. I think it’s been great for our team. I think it’s the best type of leadership that you can have.”

Better 3pt defense and win the 2nd chance pts battle

Three-point shooting and second-chance ended up being deciding factors of Wednesday’s matchup. The Knicks entered the game last in the league from beyond the arc (39.1 percent) but went 18-of-34 (52.9 percent), including three dagger three-points from Quentin Grimes between the fourth quarter and overtime.

The Bulls, on the other hand, were 9-of-28 (32.1 percent) from the three-point range.

The Knicks also dominated the second-chance points battle, scoring 20 points off their 15 offensive rebounds. Second-chance points were a massive factor in the fourth quarter when Mitchell Robinson grabbed three key offensive rebounds that allowed the Knicks to close out the game.