Coby White and Zach LaVine delivered stellar performances as the Chicago Bulls defeated the New York Knicks 139-126 on Saturday night. The victory marked a feel-good moment for the Bulls, who honored former MVP Derrick Rose during halftime.
White scored a career-high 33 points, fueled by nine made three-pointers on 11 attempts. LaVine matched his teammate with 33 points, marking his third 30-point game in the past four contests. Their combined 66-point effort powered Chicago (16-19) past a Knicks squad that are now 24-12.
The Bulls trailed by nine at halftime but exploded in the third quarter, outscoring the Knicks 41-17 to seize a 104-89 lead. Nikola Vucevic contributed significantly, finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Chicago was lethal from beyond the arc, converting 20 of 37 three-point attempts, a 54.1% success rate. The team also saw key contributions from Josh Giddey, who flirted with a triple-double by posting 15 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, and Lonzo Ball, who added eight points and six assists off the bench.
For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a dominant performance with 44 points and 16 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson added 33 points and eight assists. However, New York’s struggles in the third quarter proved too much to overcome, resulting in their second straight loss following a nine-game winning streak.
Despite their efforts, the Knicks shot just 26.7% from three-point range and committed 13 turnovers.
The night held extra significance for Bulls fans as the franchise announced plans to retire Rose’s No. 1 jersey next season. Rose, a Chicago native, will join Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and others as players whose numbers hang in the United Center rafters.
