Bobby Portis
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

The New York Knicks, led by a revenge-filled Bobby Portis, stun the Chicago Bulls after trailing by double-digits for most of the game.

  • New York Knicks 105 (1-3)
  • Chicago Bulls 98 (1-2)
  • NBA, Final, Box Score
  • Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Bobby Portis just took over Madison Square Garden. Oh yeah, he also made sure it was done against his former team, the Chicago Bulls.

Despite trailing double-digits most of the game, the New York Knicks put up a 33 spot in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bulls by 15, en route to a 105-98 victory, the team’s first of the young season.

The aforementioned Portis drilled two critical threes late, one to give the Knicks their first lead and another to ice the contest.

Portis, 24, finished with 28 points on 10-of-14 from the floor in 30 minutes. He also chipped in with 11 rebound and two assists. Most importantly, he drilled those two three-pointers late, competing a perfect 4-for-4 night from beyond the arc.

It wasn’t always so electric at the Mecca all night.

Chicago stormed out to a furious lead out of the gate. Knocking down contested shots, the Bulls took a 33-15 lead after a quarter of play. Zach LaVine led all Bulls scorers with 21.

The Knicks, however, continued haning around just enough to storm a furious fourth-quarter comeback.

For New York, young RJ Barrett once again proved wonders on the court as a rookie. With Frank Ntilikina playing well defensively, the Duke product once again ran the show from the point to close it out. Barrett finished with 19 points on 7-of-15 from the floor while chipping in with 15 rebounds and five assists for his first career double-double.

Kevin Knox was huge off the bench, tallying 14 points, including two from deep. Julius Randle poured in 13 but struggled from the floor, shooting just 5-of-13. Interestingly, Randle, not known for his vision and passing abilities, was the man who found Portis for both critical threes late in the contest.

The 1-3 Knicks, now riding high after their first victory, will turn their attention to the road. On Wednesday night, they’ll take on the Magic in Orlando and two days later meet the Boston Celtics up north.

Robby Sabo is a co-founder, CEO and credentialed New York Jets content creator for Jets X-Factor - Jet X, which includes Sabo's Sessions (in-depth film breakdowns) and Sabo with the Jets. Host: Underdog Jets Podcast with Wayne Chrebet and Sabo Radio. Member: Pro Football Writers of America. Coach: Port Jervis (NY) High School. Washed up strong safety and 400M runner. SEO: XL Media. Founder: Elite Sports NY - ESNY (Sold in 2020). SEO: XL Media. Email: robby.sabo[at]jetsxfactor.com