Bulls Trample Knicks on Derrick Rose Night

The Chicago Bulls used a second half surge to deal the New York Knicks another loss.

Jan 4, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) shoots the ball against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bulls continued to be a thorn in the New York Knicks' side on Derrick Rose Night.

As the city of Chicago recognized Rose's accomplished basketball career that changed the course of the Windy City's professional and amateur hoops history, the Bulls defeated the Knicks for the second time this season with a 139-126 decision at United Center. Combined with Friday's defeat in Oklahoma City, the Knicks (24-12) have lost consecutive games for the first time since early November.

Paced by a dozen three-pointers sunk in the second half, Chicago (16-19) put up the best scoring output for a Knicks opponent this season, most it earned through a 41-17 shellacking in the third that saw them go 7-of-9 from deep. The Knicks, in contrast, were fruitless on seven such tries, allowing the Bulls to render a nine-point halftime lead long forgotten.

Zach LaVine and Coby White led the way with 33 points each for the Bulls, with the latter going 9-of-11 with an extra point on the line. White became the sixth Knick opponent to hit at least nine three pointers in a single game and, at just under 82 percent, he has the best success rate among that group led by Steph Curry's 11 in 2013.

Jan 4, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) drives to the basket against New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) during the first quarter at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

In other efforts that likely made Rose, the former Bull and Knick, proud, Nikola Vucevic had a 22-point, 12-rebound double-double while Josh Giddey fell two assists short of a triple with 15 points and 10 boards. The Bulls, who maintained a one-game lead over Philadelphia for the fourth and final spot in the current Eastern Play-In Tournament, are one of two teams to beat the Knicks twice this season, next to only the Atlanta Hawks.

Wasted on the visitors' side were a combined 77 points from Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns had half of the Knicks' 54 points in the second half and also pulled in 16 boards total. Playing all but 94 seconds of the fourth, a visibly tired Towns limped to the locker room before the final horn sounded.

Thanks to a sterling first half from Brunson and an 11-0 tally to start their scoring after LaVine hit a triple off the tip-off, the Knicks held a consistent lead in the early going. Capping things off with two highlight doubles, Brunson earned 26 points, tying his own mark for the second-most points a Knicks has scored in a first half this season.

Chicago tied the game with seven in a row just before the midway mark and initiated its takeover shortly after: an OG Anunoby dunk gave the Knicks a brief lead back but the Bulls then embarked on a 24-7 run capped off by a trio of triples from White (including a buzzer-beater) that gave them a lead that proved permanent.

Normally studs in the third quarter, the Knicks' final margin of minus-24 was their worst in any period this season and marked the second game in a row where they've lost period by at least 20.

Jan 4, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) drives to the basket against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

Down by 15 entering the final frame, the Knicks' disadvantage held steady through the first four-plus minutes. A run of nine in a row, all but two points coming from the arms of Towns, shrank the gap to six but the Knicks never threatened after that.

Appropriately it was White that delivered the dagger, finishing off one last 8-0 run that re-established the lead at 17 and creating the perfect climax to a night celebrating one of Chicago basketball's living legends. Prior to tip-off, the Bulls announced the Rose's No. 1 would be retired and raised next to the franchise's other legends such as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

Chicago will have a chance to go for a season sweep of the Knicks, its first since 2014-15 on Feb. 20, which will be the first post-All-Star contest for both sides.

Looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the year, relief is on the way for the Knicks as they tip off a lengthy homestand on Monday night against the Orlando Magic (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG). All but two of the Knicks' next 14 games are at Madison Square Garden and the lone road trips work through Brooklyn and Philadelphia.

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