The Chicago Bulls helped open the NBA season on the road against the Miami Heat and now the team will finally get to show off at their home court, as Derrick Rose makes his return to the United Center for the home opener against the New York Knicks and the game will be the first in an NBA on TNT doubleheader that will start up at 8 pm.
The game will be live nationally on TNT and starts at 8:00 pm and gives the Bulls a chance to right the ship after losing to Miami on Tuesday night. Rose struggled in that matchup even though it wasn't due to his surgically repaired knee and now the Knicks will make the trip to the United Center on Thursday for their first road game in what should be a very playoff like atmosphere with the returning of Rose.
The Knicks started off their season with a big win against the Bucks and it likely should have been even bigger, as they pulled out to a 25-point lead before winning the game by seven and the scoring was led by Carmelo Anthony and he had 19 points and also led the team in rebounding with 10 boards, while Pablo Prigioni was tops in assists for the team. The Bulls and Knicks are both coming into the season with championship expectations and the Rose could be in the running for MVP, as could Carmelo Anthony.
The Knicks are going to try to sign Anthony after the season no matter what, but the idea that he could leave in free agency has put some urgency on the team and that means he will be the focal point of the offense once again. Mike Woodson can't be pleased with the defensive game the team played on Wednesday, but Tyson Chandler looked reenergized since being hurt at the end of last season and while Andrea Bargnani made a terrible MSG debut, he has the chance to get things right on Thursday night at the United Center.
The Knicks have a championship mandate from their owner and adding players in the offseason appears to have made them a stronger and deeper team. The Knicks face many tough challengers, as go the Bulls, as both New York and Chicago will be dealing with trying to knock off the Miami Heat, while the Brooklyn Nets and the Indiana Pacers will be two of the top teams. The Bulls went to the playoffs last season and defeated the Nets, but that was before the big trade and now the team will have to deal with them once again.
Everyone is trying to knock off the Miami Heat, as they have won the conference three years in a row and in the west it will be tough since it's deeper. The Oklahoma City Thunder will be favorites and teams like the Spurs, Houston Rockets, Warriors and Lakers as well as the Clippers and Grizzlies will all be tough teams to face this year.
So far this season Toronto and Philadelphia have won one game along with the Knicks in the Atlantic division, while Brooklyn and Boston are currently 0-1 in the standings. The Knicks got a solid game with Raymond Felton scoring 18 points and Iman Shumpert putting in 16, but the team needs to play better overall defense. The game against the Bulls should be just the test Mike Woodson needs for his team and the United Center should be a playoff-like atmosphere with the return of Derrick Rose at 8 pm on TNT.