PLAYOFF PREVIEW
Playoff Brackets
Playoff History
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls
The Knicks got swept by the New Jersey Nets 4 games to none in the first round of the Playoffs last year, while the Bulls did not even make the Playoffs
1989: Chicago Bulls defeat the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals.
1991: Chicago Bulls defeat the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
1992: The defending NBA Champion Chicago Bulls defeat the New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the conference semifinals.
1993: The New York Knicks finish 60-22 (a record indentical to their current one), but the Chicago Bulls defeat the New York Knicks 4 games to 2 in the Eastern Conference Finals, after the Knicks had started the series off with a two-game lead.
1994: New York Knicks defeat the Jordan-less Chicago Bulls 4 games to 3 in the conference semifinals.
1996: Chicago Bulls defeat the New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the conference semifinals.
Bulls won 5 out of 6 of the teams Playoff match-ups.
Playoff Experience
It's been 9 years since the last time these two teams met in the NBA Playoffs. But these two teams are completely different. There is no Michael Jordan or Patrick Ewing. There is one Knick, however, that remains. The Knicks reacquired PG Charlie Ward back from Atlanta in February before the trading deadline. Ward gives the Knicks leadership (this is his 12th year in the league) and experience (Ward was on the 1999 team that went to the NBA Finals).
Mehmet Okur: Finals
Kevin Garnett: Conference Finals
Kyle Korver: none
Baron Davis: Conference Semifinals
Gilbert Arenas: none
Chris Mihm: none
Vladamir Radmanovic: First Round
Charlie Ward: Finals
Steve Smith: Finals
Samaki Walker: Finals
Casey Jacobsen: First Round
Ben Wallace: Finals
Shareef Abdur-Rahim: none
Tim Thomas: First Round
Allan Houston: Finals
Eric Snow: Finals
J.R. Smith: none
Andrew DeClercq: First Round
Kris Humphries: none
Knicks
Finals: 4
Conference Finals: 1
Conference Semifinals: 1
First Round: 2
None: 3
Pistons
Finals: 3
Conference Finals: 0
Conference Semifinals: 0
First Round: 2
None: 3
Both teams have players that have gone as deep as the NBA Finals, and each has at least one that has actually won the entire thing. Knicks' Mehmet Okur(with Detroit) and Steve Smith(with San Antonio) and Bulls' Ben Wallace(with Detroit). The experience of Chicago's backcourt Allan Houston and Eric Snow should help the Bulls match-up against the Knicks' outstanding backcourt of Baron Davis and Gilbert Arenas, who will be on his first trip to the NBA Playoffs.
Season Series
Saturday, January 15: Knicks defeat the Bulls (1-0) @ The United Center
Monday, January 17: Knicks defeat the Bulls (2-0) @ Madison Square Garden
Friday, April 8: Bulls defeat the Knicks (2-1) @ Madison Square Garden
Tuesday, April 19: Knicks defeat the Bulls (3-1) @ The United Center
Knicks won the season series 3 games to 1.
New York Knicks have the best record in the league (62-20) and have won seven straight going into the Playoffs.
But the last team to beat them was the Chicago Bulls (42-40), and they did it at Madison Square Garden.
Key Players
Kevin Garnett 24.2ppg 4.9apg 13.9rpg 2.2bpg 1.5spg 39.4mpg
Baron Davis 22.9ppg 7.5apg 4.3rpg 2.36spg 40.1mpg
Gilbert Arenas 19.3ppg 4.9apg 4.5rpg 1.8spg 36.9mpg
Ben Wallace 9.5ppg 1.7apg 12.4rpg 3bpg 1.8spg 37.7mpg
Shareef Abdur-Rahim 16.28ppg 2.18apg 7.52rpg 0.85spg 31.6mpg
Allan Houston 18.48ppg 1.98apg 2.42rpg 0.76spg 36mpg
Probable Starters
C- Mehmet Okur
PF- Kevin Garnett
SF- Kyle Korver
SG- Baron Davis
PG- Gilbert Arenas
C- Ben Wallace
PF- Shareef Abdur-Rahim
SF- Tim Thomas
SG- Allan Houston
PG- Eric Snow