Bulls Fall Behind by 22 at Start of Loss to Knicks

The Chicago Bulls trailed by 22 points after the first quarter in New York on Wednesday. The Knicks, the defending NBA champions, led 43-21 at the end of the opening stanza. New York shot 65.2% from the field in that period, going 15-for-23.

Jalen Brunson, the Finals MVP, scored 22 points before the second quarter even began. The Bulls defense offered no answer to his moves. By halftime, the Knicks had scored 84 points, tying a franchise record for points in a half. The final score was 135-105 in favor of New York.

The Chicago team, now 1-7, allowed the Knicks to shoot 59% from the field in the first two quarters. Coach Tiago Splitter said the team needed to handle the defensive breakdown early rather than waiting for the third quarter. The loss extended a difficult stretch for a squad that has been navigating a tough schedule.

Josh Giddey played a more composed game on offense. He hit three of his first four shots, finishing with 10 points and six assists. He also grabbed rebounds, though the source text lists his average as 5.1 per game. Giddey said the team must maintain the right attitude against every opponent, whether they are a champion or a struggling team.

"I think wins will start to come," Giddey said. "We’re headed in the right direction, doing the right things and wins will start to come. Just stick with it." He noted that the team feels competitive any night but can also lose any night, so respect for the opponent is essential.

Rookie Caleb Wilson had a rough outing. The No. 4 pick scored just five points. Splitter benched Wilson after the third quarter, citing issues with his offense, defense, and body language. "He wasn’t doing the right things on offense, defense, body language, he’s got to get better," Splitter said.

Giddey is averaging 9.1 points, 7.9 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game this season. He is shooting 26.9% from three-point range. Last season, he averaged 17 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, shooting 36.4% from deep. Splitter has been using Giddey with the second unit to stagger his minutes.