Bobby Portis isn’t coming to the United Center on Tuesday night to play bingo.
Far from it.
Since the Bulls traded the forward last February in acquiring Otto Porter Jr., Portis’ agenda has been very simple whenever he faces his former franchise: Make them regret the trade every second he’s on the floor.
In the three games he had against the Bulls last season, he averaged 15 points, nine rebounds and 1.7 blocks. All numbers above his average.
In the one game he’s had against the Bulls this season? Yeah, it came with his new Knicks teammates, but also came special delivery for the entire organization to see, as Portis humiliated the Bulls, scoring a season-high 28 points, as well as grabbing 11 rebounds and shooting 4-for-4 from three-point range.
Personal? Dang right it’s personal.
Portis even let it be known before that beatdown at Madison Square Garden last month that it was coming.
“He was juiced about this game as soon as he came to New York,’’ Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr. said of Portis after that game. “He put it out on social media, looking forward to playing the Chicago Bulls.’’
Now, it’s the Bulls’ turn.
Or at least it should be.
For a team that’s searching to find toughness, this rematch with the Knicks should be the ideal fuel for that. Should be the key two words with this roster. They should be better than 3-7 with the schedule they’ve had. They should be ready for Portis anytime they face him because they all know how personal he can make a game. And they should be taking some pride in playing better in front of a home crowd that has only seen 10 wins over the last two seasons.
At least Carter gets it.
“Oh yeah, for sure, he did a lot of that,’’ Carter said on Monday, when asked about Portis’ trash-talking in that Knicks win. “Yeah, no words need to be said. We’re not letting that happen. Bobby, he’s going to come on, he wants to put on a show. I’m not going to have it. I hope he’s watching this, so he know I ain’t having it.’’
Finally, some toughness being shown by a Bull. Who cares if it’s from the 20-year-old, who has just about 55 NBA games under his belt. It’s at least something.
Carter knows Portis well, and considers him a friend. The two hit it off before Portis was traded to Washington in that Porter deal, but at the same time Carter is also starting to get fed up with the losing. In Carter’s world he and Portis can be cool with each other again after the game.
This is about someone on the Bulls matching Portis’ energy and angry levels.
“Oh yeah, he’s always juiced whenever – for him and for Jabari [Parker], every time we play against those two players, they’re very juiced,’’ Carter said. “They play some of their best basketball. Those are some of my closest friends in this league, so I’m happy for them. They’re doing their thing. But we can’t have no all-stars when it’s go time.
“You got a chip on your shoulder, you can definitely play better.’’
And Carter feels like he and his teammates are closer to playing better – with or without manufactured anger. Beating New York would be a step in that positive direction.
“I feel like we’re definitely one of the most talented young teams in this league,’’ Carter said. “We just have to play for 48 minutes. I feel like we have great spurts where we’re playing beautiful basketball, and sometimes we lose focus and we show our immaturity.’’
Portis will be hoping for that, and letting his former teammates hear about it the entire time.
