Apparently, the Bulls found their go-to guy.
Making virtually every big play down the stretch, Jalen Rose made his Bulls debut memorable, carrying them to a pulsating 113-109 victory over the Knicks before a raucous United Center crowd of 19,303.
After missing a first-quarter dunk, Rose scored 28 of his game- and Bulls-season-high 36 points in the second half Wednesday as the Bulls rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to snap a four-game skid.
“We didn’t have a guy before who was `The Guy,'” coach Bill Cartwright said. “Now we do.”
Tyson Chandler, setting season highs with 13 points and 14 rebounds, grabbed a huge offensive rebound and hit two free throws with 26.6 seconds remaining. And the other new Bull, Travis Best, came up with a huge steal with 16.9 seconds left to seal the victory.
Eddy Curry’s 16 points and 12 rebounds also represented season highs.
The future is now. And that future could be even more represented if the Bulls can swing a deal involving veteran point guard Greg Anthony, who was seen saying goodbye to teammates after the game.
A league source said the Bulls could deal Anthony to Minnesota, which desperately needs a backup point guard for Chauncey Billups now that Terrell Brandon is out for the season. Center Dean Garrett has a contract similar to Anthony, is expendable and could give the Bulls veteran, front-line depth before freeing more salary-cap room when his contract expires this summer.
The Bulls didn’t need depth up front against the Knicks. Curry and Chandler rose to the occasion.
But nobody rose higher than Rose.
His spin move on the baseline tied the game at 102-102. His penetration freed Fred Hoiberg for a three-pointer that gave the Bulls the lead for good with 2 minutes 15 seconds remaining.
Hoiberg shook off a scary fall with 4:15 remaining when Shandon Anderson got called for a Category 1 flagrant foul on a fast break started by a vicious Rose block.
Sense a Rose-colored pattern here?
“He’s a big-time clutch player,” Best said.
The Bulls found themselves short-handed for the third straight game when Marcus Fizer’s flu bug gave them nine players. Anthony, who had missed 14 games with a partially torn right Achilles’ tendon, was activated.
To make room for Anthony, the Bulls placed recently acquired Norm Richardson on the injured list with a sprained left ankle.
