For a Chicago Bulls team in the very early stages of a rebuild, Wednesday night’s outing against the New York Knicks was a step in the right direction.
They may not have walked out of the United Center with the win, but it was easily their most competitive performance yet. The reigning champs were on the ropes for nearly a full 48 minutes, needing a signature clutch Jalen Brunson fourth quarter to pull out the win.
It is the kind of loss that will undoubtedly feel like a missed opportunity for this young team, but you’d rather have that than feel the embarrassment of another 30-point blowout! Anyhow, let’s go over six players who stood out in Chicago’s narrow loss.
Norman Powell – A-
Stats: 30 PTS (10-15 FG, 4-9 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB
Norman Powell had his best night yet as a Bull. The guard was always lurking with a big shot, and he had his best rotational stint when the Bulls needed it most. Third quarters have been a major problem for the Bulls in the last few games, but the veteran helped his young team avoid disaster. He scored 14 of his points in the third and went a perfect 4-4 from the field. Powell even ended the quarter by drawing a whistle behind the arc for three free throws.
What felt particularly encouraging was how Powell got his shots. In the previous games, he really had to force the issue and relied heavily on his ability to get to the line. Against the Knicks, a lot of his makes came in the flow of the offense.
Jalen Smith – B+
Stats: 17 PTS (7-12 FG, 3-7 3PT), 11 REB, 5 AST, 3 BLK
Mr. Dependable!
Jalen Smith deserves a lot of credit for his performance against the reigning champs. The big man was extremely active on the defensive end, playing a big part in holding the Knicks to just an 18-41 performance in the restricted area. He also brought some real aggressiveness to the glass in a game where the Bulls desperately needed it.
Josh Giddey – B
Stats: 10 PTS (4-9 FG, 1-1 3PT), 11 AST, 8 REB, 1 STL
This was Josh Giddey’s best game of the season. Over the first few games, you could tell just how uncomfortable the guard was adapting to this new-look roster. He even admitted as much after practice earlier this week, stressing that it was on him to right the ship. Well, Giddey largely did that on Wednesday, appearing far more in command of the offense from the jump.
It was the kind of performance that drew plenty of praise from his head coach. Does he still need to figure out when to hunt his shots offensively? Yes, but he put some good pressure on the rim against New York and ensured all his teammates were involved. The Bulls finished with seven players in double figures largely because of the tone he set.
Caleb Wilson – B-
Stats: 20 PTS (7-18 FG, 3-8 3PT), 6 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL
The Chicago Bulls seemed to take on the identity of Caleb Wilson from the jump. The rookie had two quick dunks to start the night, igniting an aggressive first half that saw plenty of downhill action. His second quarter also showed just how well-rounded he can be. We saw him dish out a great outlet pass for the score, snag five rebounds, and hit a mean eurostep into a floater. He may have shot 1-6 in that frame, but he was still a +7 because of the extra effort.
No one on the court has as much energy as Wilson. He was a pest on the glass despite only having six rebounds, as the Knicks constantly had to be aware of where he was on the floor. Now, would you like to see him be a little more efficient with his shot selection at times? Yes, but you’d rather he be aggressive than hesitate to attack.
Matas Buzelis – C+
Stats: 17 PTS (5-13 FG, 3-6 3PT), 3 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL
Matas Buzelis had a solid bounceback game. The forward has been under a microscope to start the year, with many expressing concern about his fit in this current offense. However, Buzelis deserves over a week to get into a better rhythm, and this matchup underscored that point.
He and Wilson looked like a deadly one-two punch on a couple of possessions. This included when a Wilson block led to a fastbreak, where he was able to find a sprinting Buzelis for an alley-oop slam. Buzelis essentially returned the favor when he had his own opportunity to push the ball up the floor. He quickly dumped it off to Giddey before setting a slip screen that allowed the guard to drive and kick to Wilson for the open three.
Speaking of which, Buzelis nailed three of his own big shots behind the arc, which included one right after an OG Anunoby dunk that cut it to a 4-point game in the second half. The confidence some believed was lacking showed back up in this one.
Noa Essengue – D
Stats: 3 PTS, 1 AST
The good news for Noa Essengue is that he continued to be one of Tiago Splitter’s first subs off the bench. The bad news is that he was held to under 11 minutes because the Knicks forced him into four super quick fouls. You live, and you learn!
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