It wasn’t the greatest night for Lauri Markkanen.
Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks had a hand in that, earning the split in the two-game series at the United Center by holding the Bulls forward to nine points in the 107-103 New York win.
It doesn’t mean all eyes still aren’t on the 7-footer from Finland.
All eyes.
It of course starts with the team that acquired Markkanen’s draft rights in the 2017 lottery round, as the Bulls (8-12) acquired the No. 7 overall pick in the Jimmy Butler trade with the Timberwolves. With both sides unable to come up with a contract extension before this season started, however, it made Markkanen a restricted free agent in the upcoming offseason.