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Bulls and Knicks kick off NBA's Christmas Day action at MSG

Dec 25, 2010 - 3:47 PM (Sports Network) - The NBA's Christmas Day action kicks off in the World's Most Famous Arena when the class of the Central Division, the Chicago Bulls, resume a three-game road trip by visiting the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

The Bulls, who lead the Central by a comfortable five games over Indiana, stayed hot on Wednesday by winning the opener of their trek in Washington, 87-80. Carlos Boozer rounded out a big night in that one with a key basket in the final minute.

Boozer finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Chicago, which has won two in a row and nine of 10 overall. The only loss during that stretch was last Saturday's 100-99 setback to the Clippers.

Derrick Rose ended with 25 points, but shot only 9-of-21 and missed all six of his three-point attempts. Luol Deng scored 14 points for the Bulls, who continue to excel despite the absence of star center Joakim Noah, who is sidelined after thumb surgery and is expected to miss about two months.

"It was a very herky-jerky fourth quarter, but I thought we did a good job defensively," Boozer said. "We only gave them 10 points, and that's the reason why we won the game."

Chicago, which is 7-6 as the visitor on the year, will finish its road trip against Detroit on Sunday.

The Knicks, meanwhile, snapped a three-game skid with a nice 112-98 win over the talented Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in the Garden. Amare Stoudemire scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds while Wilson Chandler provided a lift with 21 points in that one.

Rookie Landry Fields notched 14 points with 10 rebounds, Raymond Felton contributed 12 points, 10 assists and six rebounds and Danilo Gallinari contributed 13 points for the Knicks, who improved to 7-7 at home this season.

"First half we had 20 assists on 25 buckets and then we ended up with 30 (assists), and that's how we have to play," said Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni. "We have to move the ball. That's the key to any team and we did it tonight."

The Bulls have won four of the past six meetings in the series but New York has taken the only test this season, a 120-112 triumph in the Windy City back on Nov. 4. Boozer, however, missed that contest due to a broken hand.

This will be the third meeting between the Knicks and Bulls on Christmas but the first since 1994. Meanwhile, it will be the 46th Christmas Day appearance by New York, the most of any NBA team.