HORRI-BULL LOSS FOR LOWLY KNICKS
Marc Berman
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Bulls 113
Knicks 109
CHICAGO – The Knicks could not beat the trade-ravaged Bulls last night, another reason to compel GM Scott Layden to make a trade at all costs before today's deadline.
In another disgrace, the Knicks allowed the Jalen Rose Bulls' era to get off to a rousing start as they posted their 11th loss after holding a double-digit lead. The Knicks led by 16 in the first period and 12 points early in the fourth. They are now a season-low 12 games below .500.
After a slow start, Rose carried his new team down the stretch, finishing with 36 points and six assists as the Bulls scored their season-high for points in a 113-109 victory over the last-place Knicks, at United Center.
The Knicks drilled 15 of 27 3-pointers but still couldn't protect their fourth-quarter lead after Latrell Sprewell (30 points) and Charlie Ward, hit back-to-back treys early in the fourth to jack the lead to 89-77. Allan Houston finished with 34 and sizzling Mark Jackson, who posted his 13th career triple-double, had 15.
Rose carried the Bulls on his back in the fourth with 13 points and newcomer Travis Best made a key steal with 15 seconds left after Kurt Thomas grabbed an offensive rebound following an Allan Houston missed jumper with the Knicks down by three. The Bulls had just traded their top three scorers and figured to be disarray last night.
Teen-age rookie Tyson Chandler also had a huge offensive rebound with 26 seconds left and the Bulls clinging to a one-point lead. He got fouled and made both free throws to make it 112-109.
One of the turning points came midway through the fourth when, on a fastbreak, Fred Hoiberg soared in for a layup and Shandon Anderson went up for a block, slamming him to the floor and was called for a flagrant foul. Hoiberg's head smacked the court and he stayed down for a few minutes. When he got up, he made the free throw, sparking the Bulls' comeback.
Rose spun by former Pacer teammate Mark Jackson on the right baseline for a layup to tie the score at 102 with 2:47 left. After Thomas threw the ball out of bounds, Hoiberg drained a 3-pointer from the right corner, making it 105-102 with 2:13 left.
Rose hit a 3-pointer to put the Bulls into a 74-73 lead with 2:16 left before the Knicks went on a 10-1 run to close the quarter. After blowing all of a 16-point, first-quarter lead, the Knicks fell behind 56-54 in the third quarter.
"When you're playing for a team that's in the playoff hunt and been in the playoff hunt and you circle teams you'd probably want to play for, nobody circles the team that has the worst record of all," Rose said before the game. "But somebody has to be the initiator to help build and we've got some young guys here. Now I can hopefully bring some stability and turn this thing around."
The Knicks were up 51-43 at halftime, even though Sprewell shot 1 of 9 in the half.
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