they knew they could beat us in th

**wanglei** 16 янв 2018, 04:50

CHICAGO - In a game missing Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony, it was Jimmy Butler who played like a star.Butler scored a career-high 35 points and the Chicago Bulls beat the New York Knicks 103-97 on Thursday night.All I can say is thank God for Jimmy Butler, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. You cant say enough about him.Playing without Rose, who sat out with an illness, the Bulls got another strong game from Butler. He was 11 of 21 from the floor with four 3-pointers, five rebounds, seven assists and four steals, further staking a claim to an All-Star spot this season.Hes playing extremely well, with a lot of confidence, with a lot of aggressiveness, said Bulls forward Pau Gasol, who had 20 points. Hes asserting himself every single game at both ends of the floor.Still, the Bulls had trouble shaking a short-handed New York team thats lost three straight and 13 of 14. The Knicks were led by Tim Hardaway Jr., who had 23 points and five 3-pointers.Samuel Dalembert made a basket with 2 seconds left in the third quarter to give the Knicks a 74-73 lead heading into the fourth. New York outscored the Bulls 29-21 in the third, holding Chicago to six field goals.The Bulls responded in the fourth, going on a 12-0 run to take an 87-77 lead, a spurt that included a dunk by Butler with 8:43 to go and was capped by Nikola Mirotics 3-pointer.New York hung around, pulling within one on Amare Stoudemires basket with 4:13 remaining and again with 1:06 left on Stoudemires jumper. But Gasol made a layup and, after Hardaway missed a wild 3 with 37.9 seconds left, Aaron Brooks hit a free throw and Gasol rebounded the missed second attempt to effectively clinch the win.Chicago is a good team. They understand situations, Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. They just made more plays down the stretch than we did.Anthony was out with a sore left knee and is day to day. He has averaged 23.4 points in 24 games for the Knicks but has been battling the knee problem, an issue that kept him out of New Yorks first game in Chicago since Anthony spurned the Bulls last summer during free agency.New York also was without Andrea Bargnani (right hamstring), Cleanthony Early (right knee), Iman Shumpert (left shoulder) and J.R. Smith (left foot). Stoudemire was expected to miss the game for a recovery day, but played nearly 31 minutes and scored 16 points.That still wasnt enough to help New York, which fell to 5-23.I hope none of the guys on the team want to quit, Knicks guard Jose Calderon said. We need to be a team until the end.Rose had played in 11 consecutive games as he works his way back from the torn meniscus that ended his 2013-14 season. He is averaging 16.8 points and 5.1 assists for Chicago, which lost Monday in Atlanta to end a three-game winning streak.Chicago forward Taj Gibson (right ankle) also was sidelined but is expected to make the trip to Memphis for Fridays game. The Bulls arent sure whether Rose will play, but Butler stepped up in his absence Thursday.I dont want to be a star, Butler said. I just want to be a decent role player on a really good team.___TIP-INSKnicks: Fisher said it would be up to Anthony whether he will be shut down to let the knee heal. Ultimately that has to be the players decision, in terms of what he feels like is best for him and his career, Fisher said. Also, whats best for the team. ... Stoudemire has played in 27 of New Yorks 28 games this season. The only game he missed was Nov. 14 against Utah.Bulls: With three assists, Kirk Hinrich passed Norm Van Lier for third in team history. ... The Bulls improved to 23-4 at home against the Knicks since the 2000-01 season.BACK AT ITJoakim Noah had four points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls in his first game back after missing four straight with a right ankle problem. I missed him out there because hes a guy that does all the little things, a lot of dirty work, Gasol said.PHIL VS. CHUCKCharles Barkley sat courtside and provided colour commentary for TNT. And something he said caught the attention of Knicks President Phil Jackson, who tweeted do I have to mute this game? Chuck just remember your fundamental... key to (triangle emoji), apparently in reference to the triangle offence New York is running.UP NEXTKnicks: Saturday at home against Phoenix.Bulls: Friday at Memphis. Max Pacioretty Jersey . "After consultation with the Team USA medical staff and officials, it was determined that he should return to Winnipeg as a precaution due to his previous injury history," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Wednesday in a statement. Custom Montreal Canadiens Jerseys .J. - The New Jersey Devils know the odds are against them as they chase a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. http://www.hockeycanadiensauthority.com/al-montoya-canadiens-jersey-c-40/ .com) - Mike Miller scored a season-high 21 points in a rare start and the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from their worst loss of the season with a 95-91 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Joe Morrow Jersey . Nikolaos Kounenakis has been hired as an assistant coach, the team announced on Monday. Andrew Shaw Jersey . Although taking two of three from the Baltimore Orioles wasnt nearly as uplifting as winning the World Series, it still felt pretty darn good. Felix Doubront and four relievers combined kept Baltimores potent lineup in check, and David Ortiz had three of Bostons 12 hits off Wei-Yin Chen in a 4-3 victory Thursday night.TORONTO -- For once, expectations are sky high at the start of Toronto FC training camp. A team that has long been the MLS doormat --Toronto has won six, nine, 10, nine, six, five, and six games since coming into the league in 2007 -- enters the 2014 season as a shooting star thanks to the hoopla over high-priced signings Jermain Defoe, Michael Bradley and Giberto. "Its a bloody big deal" is the already tired slogan around the acquisition of England striker Defoe. But the atmosphere is unmistakable. "Theres a buzz," said general manager Tim Bezbatchenko. The players started arriving late this week and most trained indoors Friday, although manager Ryan Nelsen did not involve those who were are the recent Canadian national team camp in Florida. He also gave Bradley a pass, given his recent involvement in Serie A. "Michaels had a lot of football," Nelsen said. "He doesnt need it now. He just probably needs a little rest." Captain Steven Caldwell sat out with a minor calf knock while the club waited on visa paperwork for Brazils Gilberto and Jackson. Toronto leaves Sunday for Florida. The 31-year-old Defoe will remain with Englands Tottenham until the end of February. Toronto opens the season March 15 in Seattle. Nelsen says the team will give Defoe time to bed in when he gets here. "We have to be very careful and we have to judge it. Hes here for four years, its not like were going to rush him back, patch him up if we have to and throw him out on the field. We have to think long-term. "So when hes ready to play, hell be ready to play. If thats Game 1, then brilliant. If its Game 4, so be it." In his second year on the job, the 36-year-old Nelsen finds himself in a totally different situation. He arrived last year with minimal knowledge of the talent that awaited him. He has the squad of his choice largely in place this time. "In all honesty I thought it might take a couple of years to get to the situation where we are right now," said Nelsen. There was short-term pain for long-term gain last season. Some 27 players came in -- if you count Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim whose loan deal from QPR never quite happened -- and 26 exited. The revolving door has slowed ahead of 2014 but those coming in have been quality additions. The three DPs are joined by American Justin Morrow and Englands Bradley Orr on defence, Jackson and Canadian star Dwayne De Rosario in midfield and teenage Canadian forward Jordan Hamilton. The team still has some roster work to do on the status of Argentine midfielder Matias Laba and English fullback Richard Eckersley. Laba is in camp while Eckersley, with the teams blessing, is not. Laba also has a designated player deeal, meaning Toronto is one over the three DP limit.dddddddddddd So the club has to find a way to restructure his contract or move him on. The club likes the Argentine, who at 22 has many years ahead on him. Heres guessing the team finds a way to farm him out without losing track of him. Eckersley is a victim -- sort of -- of a rich contract that grew fatter this year when the team was forced to restructure his deal to help ease its salary cap burden last season. Toronto could take a one-time contract buyout to get out from under the Eckersley contract burden without taking a salary cap hit. Toronto can also reach a settlement with Eckersley or deal him while eating some of the contract, which would impact the cap. Other MLS teams are unlikely to take Eckersley at his current number. Still, Bezbatchenko is confident he can find a way. Given his background as a former MLS insider and the leagues seemingly fluid rules, he is likely to succeed. When it comes to his starting lineup, Nelsen often says his players -- not him -- pick the team with their performance on the pitch. When all his pieces are in place, one would expect a likely starting 11 of Joe Bendik in goal behind a backline of Morrow, Caldwell, Canadian Doneil Henry and Orr, a midfield of Jackson, Bradley, De Rosario (or fellow Canadian Jonathan Osorio) and Alvaro Rey with Gilberto and Defoe up front. Its a good-looking team sheet, although the rest of the roster is young. Nelsen likes what he sees but is realistic. He knows it takes time to turn around a franchise and establish a winning culture. "It doesnt matter who you put out on the field, the clubs got to learn how to win ... we know weve got a long way to go." Nelsen adds: "I say that with one side of my face. The other side says if theres a group of guys that can live up to any expectations, I feel like these guys will really enjoy it and will enjoy the pressure. "It will be different for them because we will have a target on our back. Everybody will want to beat us. Everybody wanted to play us because they knew they could beat us in the past. Now theyll want to play us because they will want to try to prove a point to beat us. "Its a different mentality and its going to be difficult. But its a lovely challenge to be in." A one-year partnership with the North Carolina-based Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL Pro League gives TFC a place to give some of its younger talent a chance to play. Toronto may also look to loan a player within MLS. Bezbatchenko was part of the process in getting the newly installed loan format approved while he was working in the league office. Canadian international Issey Nakajima-Farran is in the Toronto camp on trial. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '