Carmelo Anthony Scores 23 Points, Knicks Beat Bulls 100-91

Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 100-91 home victory over Chicago on Tuesday night, thus ending the Bulls’ four-game win streak.

Carmelo Anthony Leads Knicks to Win vs Bulls

Courtney Lee added 14 points for the Knicks, (30-48, 12th in Eastern Conference), who had lost seven of nine, and rookie Maurice Ndour contributed 13 points, 12 rebounds and two steals in his first career start.

The Bulls (38-40) shot just 38.1 percent from the field and committed 15 turnovers. Chicago fell into a tie with Indiana for seventh place in the East, just a half-game ahead of idle Miami.

All-Star Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic were the Bulls’ finest players on Tuesday, contributing 26 points and 21 points and 10 rebounds respectively. Both players scored several free throws. Nevertheless, Butler felt the Knicks dominated his team in nearly every category.

”We didn’t come out with the fire that we needed to,” Butler said. ”They came out like they were playing for something and we didn’t. They whooped our tail in every aspect of the game.”

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg seemed to agree with Butler’s sentiment.

”Look at the numbers on the glass,” Hoiberg said. ”That tells you everything you need to know. They just had their way with us. One guy beating three guys to the ball, [out-rebounded] 53-36 overall. [The Knicks had] 16 offensive rebounds. We were careless — 15 turnovers. It’s not how you win games.”

Hoiberg also noted that the Bulls were much better on the glass during their four-game win streak than they were on Tuesday.

Despite missing Kristaps Porzingis, who was sidelined with a sore lower back, and Derrick Rose, who is out for the season with a torn meniscus in his left knee, the Knicks overcame a slow start to outscore Chicago 25-16 in the second quarter and lead 54-40 by halftime. By then, the crowd at Madison Square Garden — which featured several major athletes, mostly New York-based, like Mets pitchers Robert Gsellman and Noah Syndergaard, as well as former Knicks players like Dikembe Mutombo — was electric.

Ron Baker replaced Rose, and center Kyle O’Quinn finished with eight points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocks. New York also lost Lance Thomas to a sore right hip, and former Bulls star Joakim Noah to suspension.

The Knicks shot 55 percent from the field in the first half, while the Bulls shot 33 percent. Chicago was 6-for-27 from beyond the 3-point arc in the game.

Anthony scored eight points in the third quarter to propel New York to an 80-64 lead, their largest one of the game, heading into the final period.

”I thought we came out and kind of got them out of their comfort zone, kind of speed their game up,” Anthony said. ”Tonight was just one of those games where we started off good and sustained it throughout the course of the game. We finished the game today.”

Justin Holliday added 12 points for the Knicks, and Mindaugas Kuzminskas contributed 11.

Two other big players for the Bulls on Tuesday were Anthony Morrow, who finished with 15 points, and Robin Lopez, who scored 11. Chicago guard Dwyane Wade is testing his fractured right elbow in hopes of returning for the playoffs. Hoiberg said he also hopes the veteran recovers soon so he can help his young team this postseason.

‘If we’re fortunate enough to get in, obviously everyone will welcome Dwyane back if he’s ready to come,” Hoiberg said. ”You look at the playoff experience, it’s so important. We’re playing a lot of young guys, both our first- and second-round rookies, are getting a lot of minutes right now. To have someone that’s been there, not only in the playoffs but who has won championships, that’s invaluable to have on your roster.”

The Bulls next visit Philadelphia on Thursday for the third stop of a four-game trip.

The Knicks, meanwhile, host Washington on Thursday. Their final road game of the season is against Memphis on Friday.

WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 17: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center on November 17, 2016 in Washington, DC.