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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago Bulls will not be the worst NBA team
ever.
|  | | Bulls forward Elton Brand grabs a second-quarter rebound in front of the Knicks' Charlie Ward. |
Elton Brand had 21 points and 11 rebounds as the Bulls upset the
cold-shooting New York Knicks 81-72 on Friday night.
Bryce Drew added 15 as the Bulls won only their 10th game of the
season. In doing so, the Bulls passed the 1972-73 Philadelphia
76ers, who went 9-73.
"It's a relief to get the 10th win, but I knew we weren't the
worst team of all time," Brand said. "Tonight, we played great
defense and New York was frustrated."
The Knicks shot only 3-for-20 in the fourth quarter. Chicago
outscored New York 16-11 in the fourth.
"This game tells you what the Knicks have been all year," said
Sprewell, who shot 4-for-16 from the field for 16 points. "We're
playing for playoff position and these are the kind of games you
need. This was not a good performance by a lot of guys."
"It's a huge setback for playoff position," Knicks coach Jeff
Van Gundy said. "We were ill-prepared to play tonight and it's
inexplicable."
New York held Chicago scoreless for nearly five minutes of the
fourth, but the Knicks failed to capitalize. Sprewell, Glen Rice
and Allan Houston went cold in the period as the Knicks made only
one field goal in the first eight minutes.
A jumper by Drew with 6:09 left extended the Bulls' lead to
69-65, and when Fred Hoiberg followed with a 3-pointer on the next
possession, Chicago had some daylight.
Houston, who scored a game-high 23, missed all four of his
final-quarter attempts. Rice missed his five fourth-quarter shots,
and Charlie Ward also hit nothing in three fourth-quarter attempts.
"Any time you have an open jumper, you have to take it," Rice
said. "They just didn't go in. "
The Bulls led by as many as seven in the first half until Ward
hit a pair of 3-pointers to bring New York into a 35-35 tie with
5:15 left.
Chicago went ahead 39-37 when Hoiberg blocked Othella
Harrington's shot at one end and found Corey Benjamin at the other
for a wide-open 3-pointer. Benjamin scored 11 first-half points on
4-for-5 shooting.
New York played without Marcus Camby, who sat out with back
spasms. Kurt Thomas scored 10 in his absence.
Game notes
Prior to the game, Chicago activated forward Michael Ruffin
from the injured list and placed center Dragan Tarlac on it. Ruffin
had been rehabbing his broken right hand and Tarlac is suffering
from left ankle tendinitis. ... Ron Mercer practiced Thursday, but
missed his sixth game in seven with a left ankle sprain. ...
Hoiberg's 12 assists were a career-high.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
New York Clubhouse
Chicago Clubhouse
Knicks' Camby misses Bulls game with back spasms
RECAPS
Seattle 86
Indiana 83
Philadelphia 107
Washington 102
Charlotte 105
Atlanta 99
Boston 103
Utah 99
Orlando 120
Cleveland 94
Toronto 107
New Jersey 90
Miami 97
Detroit 93
Chicago 81
New York 72
Minnesota 89
Denver 71
LA Clippers 88
Sacramento 81
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Corey Benjamin is all over the rim for the Bulls.
avi: 531 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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