Bulls draw first blood in three-game ‘series' with former coach Tom Thibodeau's Knicks

Mark Black/AP

The Bulls truly needed to embrace their three games against former coach Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks in the last 10 days of the regular season.

After all, it might be the closest to a playoff-series feel the Bulls experience this season.

At least they played with a sense of urgency Friday, beating the Knicks 108-100 at the United Center. And a timely victory it was, especially under the circumstances.

The victory kept the Bulls (37-40) in the No. 9 spot in the Eastern Conference, now a full game ahead of the No. 10 Hawks with five to play. The Bulls also own the tiebreaker, so it’s really like a two-game lead.

More important, Bulls coach Billy Donovan liked the test it presented his players.

‘‘Yeah, I like it from the standpoint of it’s been pretty well-documented with what’s happened with the way the games are being officiated now,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘And then, coupled with this, this is like playoff basketball. It’s good. I like it.’’

The teams will play again Tuesday at the United Center before ending the regular season April 14 in New York.

‘‘It will be a great physical challenge for us,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘Atlanta has made some significant progress defensively the last few weeks. This is what it’s like at the end of the year, playing against these types of teams, and I think it can only be helpful for us going against it.

‘‘There are certain things you have to do physically, and at times we’ve struggled with that, quite honestly, whether it’s on the backboard or trying to win the point of the screen.’’

Neither were struggles Friday, however, as the Bulls outrebounded the Knicks 57-38 and were more than physical in the screen game.

Actually, the Knicks might have come into the game a little over the top in the physicality department, as evidenced by guard Josh Hart getting ejected with 34 seconds left in the first quarter. Hart was hit with a Flagrant 2 foul for what was deemed a kick to the head of Bulls forward Javonte Green.

It turned out to be the only way the Knicks could slow Green.

Making his fourth appearance since the Bulls brought him back to the roster from the G League, all Green did was score a career-high 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting and grab a career-high 13 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.

Not bad for a guy whom teams stayed away from in free agency last summer because he was coming off knee surgery.

Considering the Bulls lost guard Coby White to a sprained ankle in the second quarter, Green’s breakout game was not only welcomed but needed.

‘‘I thought his energy was terrific and changed the game in a lot of ways for us,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘He’s hungry to play. He gets himself up and ready to play. He just goes out there. He’s just that kind of guy.’’

Not that the Bulls didn’t make it hard on themselves, building a 20-point lead in the first half, only to watch it evaporate to four with 2:29 left.

A putback dunk by Green and a three-pointer by Nikola Vucevic 30 seconds later, however, sealed the victory.

‘‘The energy, the enthusiastic style of play he brings, the person he is off the court, he’s one of those guys that you want to have on your team,’’ veteran DeMar DeRozan said of Green. ‘‘For him to bounce back from, you know, a tough year for him, doing what he’s been doing since he came back is amazing.’’