Knicks launch 3s, beat Bulls 114-91 for 6th straight victory

Dec 17, 2022, 04:44 am

CHICAGO -- — RJ Barrett scored 27 points and the New York Knicks again used 3-point shooting to beat the Chicago Bulls, 114-91 on Friday night to sweep the two-game set and run their winning streak to six.

Jalen Brunson and Quentin Grimes each added 22 points to help the Knicks follow their 128-120 overtime victory over the Bulls on Wednesday night. New York, which entered 26th in the NBA in 3-point shooting, was 17 for 44 on 3s after going 18 of 34 two nights earlier.

Brunson made a career-high six shots on nine attempts from beyond the arc, Grimes was 5 of 9 from long-range and Barrett went 3 of 5.

“It was just luck," Brunson said of his 3-point shooting. “We're clicking. We're helping each other out and were just putting each other in position where we're just finding each other, giving each other space. ”

Julius Randle had 19 points and 12 rebounds for New York. The Knicks outrebounded Chicago 50-39 and held an opponent to fewer than 100 points for the fifth time during the winning streak.

The Bulls committed 20 turnovers to New York’s 10.

“The shooting really helps a lot and obviously the defense helps our team immensely,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said. "It gives us high energy. It gives us multiple efforts.

“I love the way our perimeter is playing right now, and then throw RJ in there and then throw the bedsheet in. We're mixing and matching.”

Zach LaVine had 17 points for Chicago, and DeMar DeRozan was limited to 14 points. The Bulls have lost three straight.

“The only way to respond is to compete,” DeRozan said. “We let frustration get to us tonight.”

The Bulls faded in the fourth quarter as the Knicks pulled away.

“It's not ideal where we're at, but great stories start with some kind of tragedy,” DeRozan added.

TIP-INS

Knicks: New York guard Derrick Rose played his first seven seasons with the Bulls and was the NBA’s MVP in 2010-11 at age 22. Now 34, Rose isn’t in the Knicks rotation, but Thibodeau thinks the Rose might merit having his number retired by the Bulls. “That would be a question for the Bulls organization,” said Thibodeau, who coached Rose for five seasons in Chicago, “I’m hopeful. My opinion is he is deserving.” Rose entered the game in the final minutes to an ovation from the crowd.

Bulls: G Ayo Dosunmu returned and entered in the second quarter after being sidelined with an pelvic bruise. Dosunmu suffered the injury in Sunday’s loss at Atlanta. … The Bulls signed G Carlik Jones to a two-way contract and waived F Kostas Antetokuonmpo, a younger brother of Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokuonmpo. Kostas appeared in 12 games with the G League Windy City Bulls, averaging 11.7 points.

UP NEXT

Knicks At Indiana on Sunday night

Bulls: At Minnesota on Sunday night to start a four-game trip.

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