Knicks crushed in season opener

NEW YORK (AP) -- Pau Gasol had 21 points and 11 rebounds in his Chicago debut, Derrick Rose scored 13 points after missing most of the last two seasons, and the Bulls spoiled Derek Fisher's first game as an NBA coach by beating the New York Knicks 104-80 on Wednesday night.

Reserve Taj Gibson finished with 22 points to lead the Bulls, who with a wealth of frontcourt depth didn't even need a big night from Rose. The former MVP took only seven shots and had five assists in 21 minutes in a game Chicago led by as much as 35.

Carmelo Anthony had 14 points for the Knicks, who won't have it any easier in the second half of their season-opening, back-to-back. They visit the Cavaliers, the other Eastern Conference favorite, on Thursday in the first game since LeBron James returned to Cleveland.

The Knicks, running the triangle offense that Fisher played in under Knicks president Phil Jackson, shot 36.5 percent. They were missing starting point guard Jose Calderon, who was a late scratch because of a strained right calf. Shane Larkin made his first career start.

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