The Chicago Bulls travel to Madison Square Garden to battle the New York Knicks on Sunday night. Here’s a Knicks vs Bulls Prediction. This article will include a Knicks vs Bulls Pick.
Chicago Bulls Betting Preview
The Chicago Bulls have been one of the surprise teams in the league as they are still undefeated after taking down the Knicks in a 135-125 win on Friday for their fifth straight victory. Josh Giddey led the team with 32 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists on 12 of 21 shooting, Nikola Vucevic added 26 points with seven rebounds on 10 of 17 shooting while Ayo Dosunmu chipped in with 22 points and nine assists off the bench.
As a team, the Bulls shot 53 percent from the field and 17 of 37 from the 3-point line as they hit the ground running and were always in control after pouring in 72 points in the first half to take an early 22-point lead. Giddey and Vucevic carried the offense for the starters and the Bulls’ bench came up big also as they outscored the Knicks’ bench by 53-21.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks have now gone a bit cold as they are now hoping to avoid a fourth straight defeat after getting trampled by the Bulls on Friday. Jalen Brunson led the team in scoring with 29 points and seven assists on 12 of 25 shooting, OG Anunoby added 26 points, Mikal Bridges tallied 23 points with six assists while Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
As a team, the Knicks shot 49 percent from the field and 18 of 45 from the 3-point line as they allowed the Bulls to get off to a flyer. They just left themselves too much ground to make up after allowing 72 points in the first half.
Why the New York Knicks will win
- The Knicks have won each of their last 12 home games on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Bulls have lost 14 of their last 15 games as road underdogs against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The home team has covered the spread in each of the Knicks’ last eight games.
- The Bulls have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four road games against Knicks teams that held a losing record.
Why the Chicago Bulls will win
- The Bulls have won each of their last seven games as underdogs after winning as underdogs.
- The Knicks have lost five of their last six games as favorites against Central Division opponents.
- The Bulls have covered the spread in each of their last eight games against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games as favorites against Central Division opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Seven of the Bulls’ last eight games as road underdogs have gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the Knicks’ last four games against Central Division opponents have gone OVER the total points line.
New York Knicks Player Facts
- Mikal Bridges ranks T1st amongst qualified players for assist:turnover ratio (6.0) this season.
- Karl-Anthony Towns is the only qualified player in the league to be leading their team in blocks per game (1.0) and free-throw percentage (88.9%) this season.
Chicago Bulls Player Facts
- Tre Jones ranks 2nd amongst qualified players for steals per game (2.4) this season.
- Josh Giddey ranks 1st amongst qualified Guards for rebounds per game (8.8) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Knicks rank 1st in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (6.2).
- The Knicks rank 30th for points in the paint (194) this season.
- The Bulls rank 1st in the league for assists per game this season (30.6).
- The Bulls rank 30th in the league for opponent turnovers per game this season (11.6).
Knicks vs Bulls Prediction
The Bulls are still playing without Coby White, and they are keeping an eye on Ayo Dosunmu who is questionable, while the Knicks have listed Mitchell Robinson as questionable due to injury management. The Bulls were good enough to get the job done on Friday, and they are still one of the few teams still undefeated so it’s a little surprising to see the Knicks favored so heavily. Sure, the Bulls might be missing Dosunmu who was crucial on Friday, but I just feel the line should be much shorter, so I will take the Bulls with the points in this spot.