Rose, Noah get best of Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls fans are loyal but also competitive.
Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose got nice ovations during pregame introductions Friday night, with some boos mixed in for Rose. The two were at the United Center for the first time as opposing players after a combined 17 seasons with the Bulls.
When the game started, there was a bizarre mix of cheers and jeers the first time Rose touched the ball. It was even there when Noah got his first touch. Then during the first timeout, the Bulls played a tribute video for the two departed stars and it was all cheers. A partial standing ovation, in fact.
Bulls fans do have fond memories for Rose and Noah, it seemed, but they weren't about to cheer for any Knicks.
It was a good night for the two newer Knicks, though. New York jumped to early lead and rolled to a 117-104 victory.
“It was harder than I thought, just in terms of trying to keep my emotions in check,” Noah said in the visitors locker room. “Coming in this building, there's so many people I'm used to seeing on a daily basis and now, all of the sudden, it's crazy.
“I've been here for a decade. It seems like just yesterday Chicago was home.”
Rose finished with 15 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds. Noah contributed 16 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Kristaps Porzingis led the Knicks with 27 points.
“Just happy we got a win,” Rose said. “It was all fun, man. I love competing and I love when the crowd gets into it.”
The Knicks (2-3) didn't play well in their first four games but found a winning formula Friday. In fact, they looked a lot like the Bulls did a week ago, with good ball movement setting up open shots.
The Knicks dominated the assists 32-15 and shot 52 percent from the field.
In the final minute, Rose and Noah were subbed out of the game, getting a chance to celebrate the victory while getting appreciation from some fans.
“There is (satisfaction), but I've still got a lot of love for a lot of people on the other side,” Noah said. “I've still got a lot of love for this organization. It's not like I hate the Bulls or anything like that. I wish everybody over here the best, except when they play the Knicks.”
Rose said he's used to hearing boos, claiming it has happened since he was in sixth grade, coming from the South Side to play against teams on the West Side.
“We love winning, that's the key,” Rose said. “Winning is everything for us two. We're trying to build a culture here.”
The Bulls fell behind 22-6 at the start of the game, rallied to take the lead and trailed by 3 points heading into the fourth quarter. But New York opened the quarter with a 14-2 run, stretching the lead to 15. Noah and Porzingis scored 13 of the 14 points, while the Bulls used a lineup of subs plus Dwyane Wade.
The closest the Bulls could get was 108-102 with 1:52 left. Rose answered with a nice driving bank shot and 3-point play. The Bulls scored on their next trip, but Rose fired a cross-court pass to Carmelo Anthony (25 points) for a 3-pointer that put the game out of reach.
Wade scored 35 points to lead the Bulls, hitting 5 of 7 shots from 3-point range. Jimmy Butler added 26 and Nikola Mirotic scored 14, but the rest of the Bulls didn't play very well on either end.
The Bulls (3-2) have dropped two in a row and play again Saturday in Indiana.
“A lot of missed communications,” Butler said. “Guys not doing what we were supposed to do, that we talked about all day before this game. I think at times we just wanted to do what we wanted to do and everybody wasn't on the same page. We have to regroup.”
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Scouting report
Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 6 p.m. Saturday
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: The Bulls already beat the Pacers 118-101 at the United Center last Saturday. Indiana is 2-3 overall after losing to Milwaukee on Thursday but is 2-0 at home. SF Paul George is averaging 24.0 points, while second-year C Myles Turner is off to a good start at 17.4 points and 7.8 rebounds. The Pacers rank 29th in the league in points allowed, giving up 115 per game. Doug McDermott was the Bulls' top scorer with 23 points against the Pacers last week.
Next: Orlando Magic, United Center, 7 p.m. Monday
— Mike McGraw