The New York Knicks dominated the Chicago Bulls 135-105 last night at Madison Square Garden, making a statement that echoed across the league. As Keef perfectly put it in Russell’s Postgame Thread, after sluggish weeks to start their championship defense, the message was clear: “We are so back…”
The Dive That Proved Everything
You wanna know what makes a championship team? It’s not just the dunks or the three-pointers. It’s the absolute, all-out grit, the kind that makes you fly across the floor for a loose ball even when you’re already up big. That’s exactly what we saw early in the second quarter last night. Josh Giddey, bringing the ball up for the Bulls, ran straight into the immovable object that is OG Anunoby. The big man freaked Giddey out so much he fumbled the dribble. Anunoby dove for it, couldn’t quite get it, but then Mikal Bridges, not missing a beat, was right there with him, also diving on the shiny Garden floor to force a foul on Giddey. And for the record, the Knicks were already leading 43-21 at that point. The game was essentially over, but those two high-priced wings threw themselves on the deck like it was game seven of the Finals. That’s the symbolism right there. That’s the hard-nosed, all-out championship team we all know this squad can be. They didn’t just win; they showed up.
A Full Roster Firing on All Cylinders
Look, some “critical comrades” might wanna say it was more about the Bulls being off their game than the Knicks being back, but who cares about rationality today? This was a masterclass, played for 47 minutes and 58 seconds, maybe even longer. This is exactly what the Knicks needed after those sluggish weeks to kick off their title defense. And honestly, we fans probably needed it even more. We all knew this squad was good enough to win it all, knew there’s a level of quality unrivaled across the Association. But you gotta *see* it, right? And we absolutely saw it last night. From Jalen Brunson running the show to Landry Shamet hitting shots, from OG Anunoby setting the tone to Mohamed Diawara making plays, even James Wiseman and Dalton Knecht were locked in. Pretty much every Knick looked like his very best, if you ignore some garbage time and poor Jose Alvarado trying to steer a party boat into the harbor. They didn’t just cut the Bulls up; they took their hearts.
This game was a jolt, a reminder of what this Knicks team is capable of. After a few sluggish weeks, they needed this. Their championship defense demands it. Now, the question is whether they can keep that fire burning, or if this was simply a momentary resurgence. The league is watching, and so are the fans who know this team can win it all.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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