Knicks, Bulls searching for their defenses

CHICAGO -- For much of the young season, the Chicago Bulls haven't had trouble keeping defensive pressure on opposing teams.

The constant pressure, coupled with a blend of balanced scoring and an up-tempo style of play, led to a flawless start and three straight wins. But when the Bulls surrendered 36 first-quarter points in a 107-100 loss to the Boston Celtics Wednesday night, it resulted in an uphill climb the Bulls couldn't manage to finish.

"We could just never quite get over the hump," coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters after the Bulls dropped their first loss of the season.

The Bulls hope to solve their defensive lapses Friday when they host the New York Knicks at the United Center. The Knicks have experienced defensive issues of their own of late, which have mounted in New York dropping three of its first four games.

The Knicks sustained their second straight double-digit loss Wednesday in a 118-99 drubbing at the hands of the Houston Rockets. Already struggling to establish offensive rhythm under first-year coach Jeff Hornacek, the Knicks' defensive struggles have been even more alarming.

In each of its first four games, New York has allowed no fewer than 102 points, which has been a problem and could pose one against the Bulls, who have twice scored 118 points and have found plenty of production not only from its starting lineup headlined by Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, but from its bench.

New Knicks guard Derrick Rose -- who will make his return to Chicago along with former Bulls teammate Joakim Noah Friday -- told reporters after the loss to Houston that things had to change if the Knicks hope to reverse their course.

"It's nothing but defense," Rose said Wednesday night. "If we don't come out and play defense, we're going to keep getting smacked like this."

The frustrations are apparent with Rose, who was part of some Chicago teams during his tenure with the Bulls that thrived on keeping plenty of pressure on opposing teams. So now that he's on the opposite end of the spectrum with the Knicks, Rose understands what is at the core of New York's problems.

"I've been on teams where we're building a culture here -- we're trying to bring a defensive culture here," Rose told reporters. "Trying to make something last and establish something. It takes time."

While Chicago has its share of new faces and is still experimenting to get the on-floor chemistry right, Hoiberg is hoping that Wednesday night's defensive struggles against the Celtics can be fixed.

Among the Bulls' biggest issues was defending the perimeter as the Celtics were able to find their range behind the 3-point arc and connected on 14 of their 32 attempts.

Hoiberg liked the way his team battled back from a pair of double-digit deficits to tie the game at 100 in the closing minutes, he lamented the fact that the Bulls simply didn't do enough defensively to keep themselves in the game.

"We weren't contesting shots," Hoiberg told reporters. "We had a guy there, he was two or three steps behind as opposed to getting (shooters) into a long two or force them into the help (defense) where they'd have to make another pass.

"I just thought we gave them too many dare shots."