New York Knicks Ride Starting Lineup to Victory

The New York Knicks starting lineup logged extensive minutes and played well on the road against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.

New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek played each starter for 33-plus minutes Friday night in a 117-104 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

This game came with extra sparks due to point guard Derrick Rose and center Joakim Noah going against the team that drafted them out of college. The fans at the United Center cheered Noah more than Rose, but the Knicks guard used it as fuel to put together a solid game.

Rose came into Friday’s contest averaging 2.5 assists per game and finished with 11 against his former team. At times, he found the open man for a good shot. Other times, the quick-twitch guard slashed left and right only to dish out when defenders closed the lane:

Overall, Hornacek should be pleased with the ball movement. He called out his team for ignoring forward Kristaps Porzingis’ mismatches, per ESPN reporter Ian Begley, and the players made sure to seek him out on Friday. The second-year forward led the team in scoring with 27 points:

Forward Carmelo Anthony struggled with his shot early but didn’t give up on his stroke. He nailed two critical 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter:

Despite Bulls guard Dwyane Wade’s five deep splashes from beyond the arc, the Knicks kept their fast-and-furious scoring pace throughout the game. We saw another glimpse of how the starting lineup can play when everyone shares the ball and plays with an elevated court awareness.

Hiding the Bench

As mentioned, Hornacek went heavy with the bench against the Bulls. It’s not a concern when the starters clicked all night. Even though it’s early in the season, you don’t want to see heavy mileage on Rose and Noah on a frequent basis. Nonetheless, the Knicks needed both guys on the court for the victory tonight. Keep on eye on their minutes with a quick turnaround for an early tip-off against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Thumbs Up for Aggressive Courtney Lee

Shooting guard Courtney Lee didn’t have an aggressive scoring drive with the Memphis Grizzlies last year. Then again, the team utilized a more methodical offensive attack. Under Hornacek, Lee must continue to show his ability to attack the basket and create his shot. He nailed all five attempts in the first quarter and finished 8-of-10 from the field. With more of those performances, defenders will respect his scoring ability, which takes away the opportunity to double team others.

Next: Carmelo Anthony Ready to Share the Spotlight

Noah’s Versatility

Noah’s 16-point scoring explosion comes off as the initial surprise. However, team president Phil Jackson inked his deal for the added intangibles and above average passing ability for someone his size.

The Knicks center also notched nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and huddled his teammates in the fourth quarter when the Bulls tried to mount a comeback. His leadership flashed subtly, but it’s something you won’t get from Bulls center Robin Lopez. Along with good talent, the Knicks have a strong voice who’s going to regroup his guys when necessary.

Looking Ahead

The Knicks come back home to match up against the Jazz (3-3) Sunday, November 6 at 12 noon ET.

The Jazz are coming off a 14-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Utah’s best player, forward Gordon Hayward, is expected to make his regular-season debut, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Point guard George Hill leads the offense as the best distributor and scorer within their starting unit. Rose will drive to the paint in an attempt to put a few buckets on Jazz center Rudy Gobert who swats approximately two shots per game.