The Chicago Bulls Would Sweep the New York Knicks in a 7-Game Series

FROM MY LIVING ROOM—I actually got the chills for a moment there, watching a seven-footer recover and then block another seven-footer's dunk from behind, which rallied a break. Kyle Korver sprinted to the 3 point line and nailed a three. 

Ball game. But, sure, it was only the second quarter. But you get the notion that the Knicks were overwhelmed by the Bulls movement and fluidity on both sides of the ball. While the Knicks have enough of the spectacular to stay in the game—with Carmelo Anthony putting together his best stretch of the season in Oh-My-God-This-Guy-Can-Score sequences—the Bulls create too many extra offensive possessions with their rebounding and don’t give you enough easy baskets on defense. It becomes a numbers game. You can shoot poor and still win. You can have less offensive power and still create easy baskets on putbacks.

Everyone is buying in—Carlos Boozer (who I’ve seen with numerous putback dunks in the past few games), Luol Deng, who may be among the league’s elite for rebounding at his position, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Omer and yes Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. Get. That. Ball.

The Bulls bounced them around on the boards 51-33. And scored 25 points on second-chance points to their 5 points. That’s an incredible feat, but not surprising. It’s also why I believe the Bulls would sweep the Knicks if they pair off in the first round.

New Yorkers already have Tina Fey, Conan O’Brien and Eli Manning, so they don’t get everything. But any serious basketball head sees the Knicks sees an incomplete roster that has maxed its cap. Carmelo Anthony is sensational when he wants to be. That stutter, stop dribble where he leans right but wants to go left, then scoops under the defender when they begin cheating back right or waiting for the jumper, is truly amazing to watch. He uses his frame just right—a smart combination of power and quickness that only LeBron might be able to match but simply doesn’t have the mindset or jumper to mimic.

Michael Woodson has smartly asked the Knicks to ball hawk and play the passing lanes—which the Bulls can get lazy about—and use their length and athleticism, but it’s mostly a gimmick as the team has to play small to make most of this work on both ends of the floor, leaving them vulnerable to the Bulls’ obsessive rebound hounds.

Of course, we’re back to the Derrick-Rose-is-hurt storyline, making this is season as perplexing and odd as we can remember. Like a dope attic, just when we thought Rose was in the clear, there he is sitting in a session like Christopher Multisante.

Though, Rose will play on Thursday in a much more important game—indeed it works as a soft metric for their playoff play—I can’t imagine he’ll look comfortable for another two weeks as any of this wears off.  There are just too many ailments to walk off.

The Good

Richard Hamilton. He finally mattered in a close game, using his change-of-direction dribble drives and pull-ups, but he’s missing way too many makeable shots. He’s even said so. He also ran out on a few drives and flashed some of that speed he has long been known for. When Tom Thibodeau begin using him at the end of games.

Kyle Korver. As good of an all-around effort as I’ve seen from him in a Bulls uniform. Incredible effort and smarts. Though, I can see him fumbling the ball and getting panicky against the Heat on Thursday.

Taj Gibson. He’s starting to become a constant off the bench—a true known entity. It’s an important element in championship basketball.

Luol Deng. He was the first offensive option in many sets and continues to be a fabulous rebounder. I thought he played much more aggressively on defense. I’m not so sure his shooting will come back for the playoffs.

The Bad

Iman Shumpert. I like him a lot as a prospect, but he had his day on Sunday against an ailing Rose.

CJ Watson. His instinct is to shoot, but he needs to run the offense more than create it as a starter.

The Ugly

The latest K.C. Johnson tweet regarding Derrick Rose’s latest back contortion. This sucks. This needs to end.

Contact Mike Mitchell at michaelkennehtmitchell@gmail.com.