The Chicago Bulls are tanking their season, trying to lose every game on purpose to gain better draft position.
They dumped key 6 players at the trade deadline, including Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu, and Kevin Huerter.
Last week, they waived one of the players they picked up in those trades — Jaden Ivey — because he spoke out against the NBA’s preoccupation with Gay Pride Month and LGBQT — saying it was against his Christian religion. Chicago coach Billy Donovan stated Ivey was waived for “conduct detrimental to our team.” Ivey will probably never play again in the NBA.
And so in the 2nd game since the incident — Chicago played with conduct detrimental to their team — not putting up any fight in getting blown off the court by the Knicks from start to finish.
NY led by 20-1 to start the game, by 40 pts before the half, and by 48 pts in the 4th quarter in a 136-96 romp at Madison Square Garden on a Saturday night.
OG Anunoby was the scoring star for NY — hitting seemingly every 3 he took in scoring 31 pts on 9-15 shooting (7-10 from 3). (After hitting a 3 to end the 3rd quarter he had 32 pts on 8-11 shooting from 3, but the refs took his last one away, saying his foot was on the line.)
Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t play (right shoulder soreness) — so Mitchell Robinson started and had 17 pts on 7-7 shooting — most of them on alley oop slams from Jalen Brunson passes — with 11 rebounds, 2 steals and a block. Brunson had 17 pts, and Josh Hart had 11 rebounds — NY outrebounded Chicago 54-36.
The NY starters didn’t play the 4th as the entire bench got to play, and everyone made the scoring column. Tyler Kolek was especially sharp off the bench in the 4th with 8 pts, 2 assists, and a steal.
“You always want your team to be playing at the highest of high cylinders,” said coach Mike Brown afterwards. “Do I think we’re there right now? No. Do I have belief in this team? Yes, I do. I have seen us play really good basketball through the course of the year. Even in games where there is quote unquote manufactured pressure, we’ve played really good basketball.”
NY improves to 50-28, still 2 behind Boston and 5 behind Detroit with 4 games left. Chicago falls to 29-48.
1. NY Jumps Out to 20-1 Lead
The game started out with a Mitchell Robinson offensive rebound and putback. Bulls’ rookie start Matas Buzelis hit a free throw — and NY went on an 18-0 run to take a 20-1 lead:
- Jalen Brunson hit a 3,
- OG Anunoby hit a 3,
- Mikal Bridges hit a jumper,
- Brunson hit another 3,
- Bridges hit another jumper,
- Mitchell Robinson hit 2 free throws, and
- Jeremy Sochan hit 2 free throws.
NY pushed the lead higher from there, as OG, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet hit more 3’s and Brunson fed Mitchell Robinson for an alley oop slam near the end of the quarter for a 34-14 Knick lead.
Robinson scored another bucket inside off an offensive rebound next time down — NY led by 38-16 after 1 quarter.
Mitchell Robinson with 10 points in the first ? pic.twitter.com/sG0IrBHEj9
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 4, 2026
2. OG on Fire; Mitch Slam Dunking Fest — NY Up by 40 in 2nd
Former Knick Guerschon Yabusele hit a 3 to start the 2nd — he was one of the few Bulls playing with fire.
But NY absolutely cruised thru the 2nd quarter, with the rest of Billy Donovan‘s Bulls putting up barely any fight at all.
Mikal Bridges, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, Josh Hart, and Jeremy Sochan started the quarter with buckets — McBride with a 3.
Deuce from downtown ? pic.twitter.com/nXOCF14jsk
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 4, 2026
And then OG Anunoby started to COOK — scoring buckets inside and then hitting three consecutive 3’s for NY for a 69-28 Knick lead.
OG Anunoby hits a three to push the lead to 41 ? pic.twitter.com/C87fNraoaW
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 4, 2026
With a minute left in the half Jalen Brunson hooked up with Mitchell Robinson again for an alley oop slam, and then did it again next time down for a 78-39 Knick lead.
BIG COUNTRY‼️ pic.twitter.com/Etqr3WeI1F
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 4, 2026
3. Sexton Pushes Back — But NY Cruises in 3rd
It was more of the same in the 3rd — with OG hitting every shot he took, Mitchell Robinson slam dunking inside or getting offensive rebounds and tip-ins, and NY coasting with a 40-pt lead throughout the quarter.
Collin Sexton (19 pts on 6-12 shooting) started to play with a pissed-off aggression — trying single-handidly to bring fire back to the Bulls. Sexton played a very aggressive defense against Jalen Brunson, but Brunson was able to get around him anyway for penetrations.
Josh Giddey woke up and got some buckets alongside Sexton, and Yabusele got buckets for Chicago as well.
But OG continued his shooting onslaught — hitting a 3 as the shot clock expired to end the 3rd for a 109-72 Knick lead — his 8th 3 of the night on 11 attempts. It was later taken away by the refs and changed to a 2 — so NY had a 108-72 lead after 3 and OG had 7-10 shooting for 3 for the night.
5. Kolek Pushes Knick Lead to 48 in 4th
OG and the starters would not play the 4th as Coach Brown brought in the 3rd team. Tyler Kolek immediately hit a 3, fed Mohamed Diawara for a drive and 2 free throws, then stole the ball and hit another 3 and NY was up by 48 pts at 116-72. Chicago timeout.
mr. motion ? pic.twitter.com/PwDIS00hUA
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 4, 2026
Jose Alvarado was in playing alongside Kolek — and the Knicks continued to pressure Chicago — Alvarado feeding Kolek for a nifty bucket on the baseline and 119-72 Knick lead.
It was all Summer-League-type ball after that. Ariel Hukporti came in to get buckets inside, Pacome Dadiet hit a couple of shots, etc. Extended “garbage time” as Marv Albert used to say, as the Bulls played out the string with “conduct detrimental to their team.”
Be the first to comment