Rose Scores 32 As Bulls Out-Muscle Knicks 105-102
NEW YORK (AP)— Derrick Rose scored 32 points to outduel fellow All-Star starter Carmelo Anthony, and the Chicago Bulls beat the New York Knicks 105-102 Thursday night.
Rose had 15 in the fourth quarter and repeatedly answered when the Knicks rallied. With Chicago leading 88-83 midway through the final period, the reigning MVP scored on three straight possessions. He split Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to flip in a shot from past the backboard, then hit a 3-pointer to put the Bulls up 95-88.
Stoudemire had 34 points and 11 rebounds but missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game with 10 seconds left. New York has lost 10 of 12 and now heads into its first back-to-back-to-back since 1999 with coach Mike D'Antoni facing more questions about his job security. New York must travel to Boston to play Friday night before returning home to face the Nets on Saturday.
Anthony had 26 points but just 4 in the fourth quarter and missed a desperation 3 at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. Twice in the last 2 minutes with the Knicks trailing by 3, he had his shot blocked.
Landry Fields scored on a baseline drive with 23.4 seconds left to pull the Knicks within 1 at 101-100. New York had no choice but to foul Kyle Korver, a 74 percent free-throw shooter, with 13.7 seconds to go. He hit both.
With the Knicks trailing by 11 at halftime, Anthony scored 12 in the third. His driving bank shot with 44.1 seconds left in the period tied the score for the first time since late in the first quarter.
But on the Bulls' next possession, Jared Jeffries was called for a foul on Ronnie Brewer. When Tyson Chandler barked to the refs, he received a technical. Korver hit that free throw, and the Knicks never tied it again.
Despite shooting 56 percent in the first half, the Bulls couldn't extend their lead to more than 7 until the final 2 minutes.
Trailing 44-40, the Knicks committed five turnovers in the last 3½ minutes of the half, including one immediately after a timeout with 1:36 left. Joakim Noah had two dunks and Brewer added a third as the Bulls pulled ahead 55-42 with 25.8 seconds remaining.
With boos pouring down from the stands, Anthony missed a jumper, then missed a layup after an offensive rebound. His third try with less than a second to go finally went in.
Stoudemire had 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting in the first half. The rest of the Knicks were 9 of 24.
Rose added 13 assists. It was the fourth time in five games he's scored at least 30.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
