Bulls at Knicks
The New York Knicks have ensured their position among the bottom three teams in the NBA, which grants each of those squads an equal 14 percent chance at the No. 1 selection in this spring's draft. With that fate sealed, the Knicks can play to avoid finishing with the worst record in franchise history and will seek a rare victory when they host the Chicago Bulls on Monday.
New York needs to split its final six games to equal the 2014-15 edition's franchise-worst 17-62 mark, but the current squad has lost six in a row, including the first five on its current homestand by an average of 16.6 points. The Bulls have dropped four straight after Saturday's 124-101 loss to Toronto in the finale of a two-game homestand. An extremely shorthanded unit was led by Walt Lemon Jr., who scored a team-high 19 points in his first game after signing with the team Friday. Starters Kris Dunn (back), Lauri Markkanen (medical assessment), Zach LaVine (thigh) and Otto Porter Jr. (shoulder) were all sidelined.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE BULLS (21-56): Lemon, a product of Bradley University, played five games with New Orleans last season and spent much of this campaign with Chicago's Windy City affiliate in the G League. He was 8-of-15 from the floor to go along with six assists, four steals and a blocked shot off the bench. "I thought he looked like an NBA player," Bulls coach Jim Boylen told reporters of Lemon. "He's not scared. I was very excited about his play, his competitiveness."
ABOUT THE KNICKS (14-62): Center Mitchell Robinson made his first start in over four months in Saturday's 100-92 loss to the Miami Heat, and coach David Fizdale insists that the rookie will stay in that role. "Early in the season we tried to start [Robinson] and it was too early," Fizdale told reporters. "He was getting in foul trouble. With a few games left in the season, let's take a look at it before the season's up. To see if he can play big minutes and stay out of foul trouble." Robinson had nine points and 14 rebounds versus the Heat after recording 19 and 21, respectively, in Thursday's blowout loss to Toronto.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bulls SG Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot notched his first career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds on Saturday.
2. Knicks PG Emmanuel Mudiay reached the 20-point mark in five of his last nine games.
3. The Bulls won the first meeting in double overtime. The teams meet for the third and final time at Chicago on April 9.