The Bulls and the Knicks have something in common: They’ve both won a lot of games when the stars of their teams were out with injuries. The difference? Chicago kept winning when Derrick Rose came back while New York unraveled when Carmelo Anthony returned. The New York Knicks (18-23) look to find answers to snap a five-game losing streak against the league-best Chicago Bulls (34-9) in Monday night’s best game. The teams met back on February 2 — two games before the beginning
Raja Bell returned to the Utah starting lineup, but “demoted” Gordon Hayward was terrific off the bench with 23 points on 8-11 shooting, plus 4 REB and 5 AST in 28 minutes. As the Jazz won, I’d expect the new rotation to continue, but Devin Harris left early with a sore knee. The Cavs were no match for Al Jefferson (25 & 13) and Paul Millsap (13 & 9) — they miss Anderson Varejao. In Other News GSW @ WAS: New starting
Utah Jazz forward Jeremy Evans will replace Iman Shumpert of the New York Knicks in Saturday’s Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend. The NBA announced the switch Wednesday. Shumpert has tendinitis in his left knee. The 6-9 Evans is in his second season. Of his 88 career baskets, 61 have been dunks, including 30 alley-oops. The four-player dunk field remains all first-time participants and exclusively forwards. Evans joins Houston’s Chase Budinger, Indiana’s Paul George and Minnesota’s Derrick Williams – not exactly name recognition. Believe
The Chicago Bulls (24-7) host the Boston Celtics (15-13) tonight (TNT, 8 p.m. ET), as the teams meet for the third time this season and the second time in the past five days. The teams split their first two games, both in Boston, with the Bulls scoring an 88-79 victory Jan. 13, and the Celtics winning 95-91 Feb. 12. According to NBA.com/Stats, the Celtics’ defense has been very effective against the Bulls. Inside, Boston has limited Chicago to 48 percent (33-for-69)
Psst. There’s a white American guy in the Slam Dunk Contest. Houston Rockets forward Chase Budinger was among the four players announced Thursday as participants in the Slam Dunk Contest that will take place on All-Star Saturday night Feb. 25. Budinger is the first white American player entered in the contest since Chris “Birdman” Andersen in 2004 and 2005. That didn’t go so well. Other white American players to participate are Bob Sura (1997), Rex Chapman (1990, 1991), Tom Chambers (1987) and of
