CHICAGO — Mikal Bridges was benched and the rest of the guards took over.
asserted
rest → bench → guards
Jalen Brunson, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek were all significant contributors to the 133-127 comeback victory by the Knicks over the Bulls on Wednesday night, combining for 52 points in the second half as the struggling Bridges watched from his seat.
asserted
Bridges → combine → seat
A day after collecting a DNP against the Pistons, Clarkson caught fire with 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter — shooting 7-for-11 overall.
asserted
Clarkson → collect → 7
Shamet finished with 14 points and five assists in 32 minutes.
asserted
Shamet → finish → minutes
Kolek had nine points and nine assists.
asserted
Kolek → have → points
Brunson, who dropped 38 points, finished exquisitely, including a crossover-to-a-trey that wowed the crowd at the United Center.
asserted
that → drop → Center
The Knicks (2-3) overcame a 19-point third-quarter deficit to win their second in two nights.
But they also almost blew it.
asserted
they → overcome → it
With 25 seconds left and a 3-point lead, Karl-Anthony Towns flubbed a layup under the hoop.
asserted
Towns → leave → hoop
Chicago’s Norman Powell then missed a potential tying trey, and Brunson closed the win by hitting one of his two free throws.
asserted
Brunson → miss → throws
Bridges, who has alternated between missing shots and disappearing this season, was benched for all but three minutes of the second half.
asserted
who → alternate → half
He finished with just three points in 13 minutes, his shortest appearance as a Knick outside of the two times Bridges was subbed out in seconds to maintain his consecutive games streak.
asserted
Bridges → finish → streak
OG Anunoby was also on the bench down the stretch as Brown rode the hot hands of Shamet and Clarkson.
asserted
Brown → ride → Shamet
The Knicks were operating on a back-to-back with an excuse to be tired.
asserted
Knicks → operate → excuse
They had a late tipoff Tuesday in MSG, won a hard-fought game against the Pistons, then didn’t land in Chicago until about 3:30 a.m. — less than 16 hours before tipoff against the Bulls.
asserted
They → have → Bulls
They didn’t respond well until the fourth quarter.
asserted
They → respond → quarter
Their sloppy first half ended, appropriately, with a blunder.
asserted
half → end → blunder
Andre Drummond tipped in Josh Hart’s missed shot with one second left, but the refs negated the bucket because the ball wasn’t out of the cylinder.
asserted
ball → tip → cylinder
As the Bulls were trying to inbound the ball, assistant Rick Brunson was signaling for a replay challenge to head coach Mike Brown, who appeared to shoot down the idea.
asserted
who → try → idea
The Bulls then connected on a half-court shot at the buzzer — a potential five-point swing in their favor — and took a six-point lead into the break.
asserted
Bulls → connect → break
Chicago maintained its momentum in the third quarter, building out an 87-68 advantage.
asserted
Chicago → maintain → advantage
Towns again accumulated fouls and turnovers.
asserted
Towns → accumulate → fouls
He picked up his fourth personal quickly in the third quarter, and the Bulls stepped on the gas before Kolek helped pump the brakes.
asserted
Kolek → pick → brakes
Behind a few big plays from the backup point guard — including a pair of treys — the Knicks cut the deficit to 6 heading into the fourth quarter.
asserted
Knicks → include → quarter
Midway through the first quarter, Towns had the ball at the elbow and was knocked hard to the court by defender Noa Essengue.
asserted
Towns → have → Essengue
Towns hurt his left hand during the spill and writhed in pain on the United Center hardwood.
asserted
Towns → hurt → hardwood
He went to the locker room but reemerged quickly with tape on his hand and wrist.
asserted
He → go → hand
Towns finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
asserted
Towns → finish → points
With 9:26 left in the second quarter, Shamet limped to the locker room after twisting his ankle.
asserted
Shamet → leave → ankle
He completed a dunk, took a step, and clipped his foot on a Bulls defender.
asserted
He → complete → defender
Like Towns, Shamet returned quickly.
asserted
Shamet → return → Towns
The Aporia
