Exhausted Knicks Limp to Second Straight Loss

Unfortunately, this one was predictable...

Final Score: Knicks 126 - Bulls 139
Record: 24-12

Unfortunately, this one was predictable.

New York's starters put in maximum effort every time they step on the floor. It's in the DNA of these incredible competitors. But you could tell that Friday's game vs. the Thunder meant something extra to all involved. As the first NBA matchup in nearly 25 years featuring two teams riding winning streaks of 9+ games, the Knicks-Thunder showdown had playoff intensity right from the opening tip. New York fought valiantly, throwing haymakers well into the 15th round of the prize fight, but lost the slugfest in the closing minutes.

All five Knicks starters played more than 40 minutes during that hard-fought defeat in Oklahoma. It was the first time that had happened in more than a century. After running out of steam in the fourth quarter, the weary Knicks boarded a plane and flew to Chicago. Less than 22 hours later, they took the floor to take on a Bulls team that had been off since Wednesday.

So head coach Tom Thibodeau expanded his rotation to get his starters some much-needed rest and see if his young, energetic rookies could provide a spark, right?

Wrong.