Tom Thibodeau praises Knicks shooting and defense after Bulls loss
Even with a game between the two franchises to be played next Friday, the The New York Knicks buried the Chicago Bulls in his season series. That was sealed on Friday night when the Knicks demolished the Bulls 114-91. It was the second leg of this week’s back-to-back meeting between the teams, both games played at the United Center.
With this victory, the sixth in a row, the Knicks became the best team in the East. No other franchise has as many consecutive wins as the New Yorkers in their most recent winning streak. only the memphis grizzlies they have a longer streak, with seven wins in a row.
Even then, Tom Thibodeau “doesn’t take cheese.”
Expanding on his response to the question of whether or not these Knicks are melting hot lava, Thibs reasoned that what’s important to the Knicks as a team is “…not feeling too good about ourselves.”
The reason for that? “Usually when you start to feel too good about yourself is when you get your butt kicked.”
Words of wisdom.
New York outrebounded Chicago 50-39 on Friday and 98-70 in their two-game series. More damning for the Bulls, they lost the offensive rebounding battle a ridiculous 30-5 to the Knickerbockers.
The Knicks held Chicago to 91 points on the day, the fifth time they’ve held an opponent to less than 100 points in their six-game winning streak.
RJ Barrett led New York with 27 points, but it was a night for the defense pair of Jalen Brunson and Quentin Grimes (22 points each) as they combined for 11 three-pointers in the game.
“That backcourt, I love how our perimeter is playing right now,” Thibodeau said. “The shooting really helps a lot and obviously the defense helps our team immensely.”
“Throw RJ in there (referring to the Brunson and Grimes play) and then throw the sheet. We are mixing and matching.”
When asked about his career-high six 3-pointers, Brunson said: “It was just luck.” Instead, the point guard focused on the Knicks’ collective effort, saying, “We’re clicking, helping each other out and just putting ourselves in a position that we’re in, giving each other space.”
Five different Knicks made at least one 3-pointer, while four made at least two shots from beyond the three-point arc. The only man who didn’t? Derrick Rose, who made it 1-3 from the floor lifting all of those shots from 3-point territory.
Rose had not appeared on a basketball court after the Knicks’ loss to Dallas on Dec. 3., two weeks ago. Of course, it made sense for him to return to the court in the comfortable confines of Chicago. The crowd gave a standing ovation to the former Bulls great. “MVP! MVPs!” chants were heard. Not to mention the explosion that Rose produced with the lone triple of him performed.
“I feel blessed that we played a great game and it allowed me to go out there and play,” Rose said. “Coming here and seeing all the love and receiving all the love that we received, it was unreal.”
Thibodeau, who coached Derrick Rose in Chicago for five seasons, was asked about the possible retirement of Rose’s No. 1 jersey in Chicago, to which he said he is “hopeful” and that, in his opinion, “Rose is deserves it.”
Speaking on the same subject, Rose herself said it would be “silly” for him to have his number retired in the Bulls organization, though “it wouldn’t be a big deal” for him if Chicago doesn’t go that far. .
“I know the love I’ve received, it doesn’t matter if it’s here or somewhere else, that’s all I need,” Rose said.
Further, speaking of a possible Hall of Fame induction, Rose said he’d be “very grateful for that,” though again, he’d be upset if he didn’t get there.
“In 200 or 300 years, nobody is going to care what happened,” Rose reasoned. “For me, the knowledge, the wisdom, the love, the capital that I got from this sport allowed me to do a lot, and I’m very thankful and thankful for that.”
Looking back at the ongoing winning streak and the result of the last two games his team has played, Thibodeau believes “the guys are building chemistry with each other on both sides of the ball.”
Thibodeau kept everyone on their toes by saying that “yesterday’s win will have nothing to do with Sunday’s game.”
New York (16-13) faces Indiana (15-15) away from MSG on Sunday, December 18. The Knicks will return home next week for four more games, concluding with a Christmas Day meeting with Philadelphia at the Garden.