Knicks. Bulls. A rivalry transcending time. Subtract Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Otto Porter Jr., Denzel Valentine, Wendell Carter Miranda Jr., Kris Dunn, Chandler Hutchinson, Mario Hezonja, Emmanuel Mudiay, Frank Ntilikina, Lance Thomas, Noah Vonleh, Allonzo Trier, and Kadeem Allen, though, and whaddya got? A reminder that no one — not one of us — can turn back time.
But some wins always feel good, and New York’s 96-86 wire-to-wire win over Chicago hit the trifecta: it spared them the indignity of setting a franchise record for fewest wins in a season, snapped their nine-game road losing streak and pushed the Bulls one defeat away from their first 60-loss season since their first three full post-Jordan campaigns.