Knicks score franchise-low 8 fourth-quarter points in blowout loss to Bulls

The New York Knicks hung with the Chicago Bulls for three quarters Friday night, even clawing their way back from 17 points down to take the lead midway through the third.

In the final frame, though, the Bulls' swarming, fourth-ranked defense clamped down in a big way. The Knicks couldn't generate any clean looks in the final frame, seemingly turning the ball over every other possession while watching whatever momentum they'd been carrying from their comeback get reduced to a fine mist.

New York shot 2-of-19 in the quarter, scored just two points over the final seven minutes, and were outscored by the Bulls 31-8 in the fourth quarter.

The eight points the Knicks mustered were their fewest points in a fourth quarter in franchise history. Setting that record was probably not the way New York envisioned kicking off 2016.

"We don't wanna be a team that, when it starts to rain a little bit, we give in," head coach Derek Fisher said after the game. "I thought we gave in a little bit in the fourth quarter."

Things likely won't get easier for the Knicks any time soon. Their next four opponents sport a combined 89-45 record.