CHICAGO — Weaving Dennis Smith Jr. back into the mix would seem a case of taking a step back to move two steps forward.
That’s how it played out Tuesday at the United Center, where a rusty Smith Jr. played a surprisingly high 14 minutes with a performance that could be expected after an extended layoff to mourn the sudden passing of his stepmother.
Smith’s ledger was brutal — scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting, with three turnovers and a minus-22 — in a 120-102 loss to the Bulls. Tied at 85 after three, Fizdale kept Smith in the game and the Bulls ran the Knicks out of the arena.