Tired, Sloppy Knicks Defeated By Sharp-Defending Bulls
CHICAGO (CBSNewYork/AP) — Marco Belinelli and Luol Deng scored 22 points apiece as the Chicago Bulls beat the Knicks 93-85 on Saturday night, snapping New York's five-game winning streak.
Belinelli was red-hot early -- scoring 15 points in the first quarter, while Deng had 10 in the fourth, giving the Bulls their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Carlos Boozer had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Chicago. One night after putting up career highs of 30 points and 23 rebounds in a win at Detroit, Joakim Noah just missed an odd triple-double, getting 10 points and 11 rebounds and committing a career-worst nine turnovers.
Raymond Felton led the Knicks with 27 points, matching his season high set on Thursday in a victory at Miami. However, Felton was just 9 for 30 from the field, exceeding his career high for field-goal attempts by six shots.
Tyson Chandler had 14 points and 18 rebounds for the Knicks, who shot a season-low 32.1 percent from the floor and matched a season high with 15 turnovers. It was also a season-low point total for New York.
The Knicks again played without leading scorer Carmelo Anthony, who missed his second straight game because of stitches in the middle finger of his left hand. Anthony, who is third in the NBA with 26.4 points per game, was hurt in a win over Charlotte on Wednesday.
Nate Robinson had 12 points, five rebounds and eight assists off the bench for Chicago, which has won five of its last six and 18 of its last 21 at home against New York.
Chandler's free throws pulled New York within three with 1:56 left, but Belinelli hit a side jumper just inside the 3-point line. Then Belinelli fed Noah for a layup with 56 seconds left, putting Chicago up 89-82.
The Knicks attempted 85 3-pointers over their previous two games, or more than 10 per quarter. They got up just three in the first period against the Bulls, the last one from Rasheed Wallace that tied the score at 23 with 3 seconds left.
However, Belinelli took the inbounds pass and hit a 43-footer as the buzzer sounded, putting Chicago up by three and giving him a 15-point first period. The Bulls, who entered the game last in 3-pointers made and attempted, were 4 for 5 from behind the arc in the opening period.
Belinelli and Kirk Hinrich hit 3s during a 10-0 Chicago run after New York scored the first six points of the game. In a ragged start to the second quarter, the Knicks didn't convert a field goal during the first 5:39 before J.R. Smith's 3-pointer drew New York within 30-27.
After the Bulls pushed the lead to seven points, reserve Taj Gibson was ejected by official Derrick Stafford, drawing two quick technical fouls after being called for this third personal foul, a loose ball foul on the Knicks' end.
Steve Novak converted both technical free throws, sparking a nine-point run to give New York the lead. The Bulls battled back and held a 43-41 edge at the break and maintained their two-point advantage through the third period.
NOTES: Anthony warmed up on the court before the game, then declared himself unable to play due to the difficulty he was having catching passes because of the bandage covering his injured finger. He said he hopes to return to action when the Knicks host Denver on Sunday. ... The Knicks entered the game with the fewest turnovers in the league, but committed 12 miscues in the first half alone, one short of their season high. ... Hinrich began the second half on the bench because of an injured left elbow. His return at the time was termed questionable by the team. ... The national anthem was performed by Krysten Knievel, the granddaughter of 1970s daredevil Evil Knievel.
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