NEWSLETTER
The last thing this Bulls season needs is a loss to the New York Knicks on national television during the holiday season. Please, for the love of all things merry and bright, get the dang win.
Game Info
New York Knicks (14-13) at Chicago Bulls (11-15) – 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago (TV), ESPN, and 670 The Score (Radio)
Projected Starters
Chicago Bulls
1. Alex Caruso
2. Zach LaVine
3. DeMar DeRozan
4. Patrick Williams
5. Nikola VuÄević
Injury Report: Alex Caruso PROBABLE (back), Ayo Dosunmu OUT (abdominal)
New York Knicks
1. Jalen Brunson
2. Quentin Grimes
3. RJ Barrett
4. Julius Randle
5. Mitchell Robinson
Injury Report: Jalen Brunson QUESTIONABLE (foot), Obi Toppin OUT (leg) Ryan Arcidiacono DOUBTFUL (ankle)
Odds
The Bulls walk into tonight as -4.5 favorites against the Knicks at PointsBet Illinois Sportsbook and +2.5 favorites at the FanDuel Illinois Sportsbook. Click on either link to sign up and pick the Bulls to cover (… or pick the opposite …)!
What to Watch For …
- Unfortunately, I can’t sit here and tell you the Bulls are better than the Knicks. Not only does New York have a winning record, but they have actually won four games in a row. Three of those wins were also pretty darn impressive, as they held the Cavs, Kings, and Hawks to under 100 points. It’s just simply true that they are playing at a higher level than the Bulls right now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can keep it up.
- The Knicks are still a rather fragile bunch. While they do play the same tough and physical style that we’ve grown used to on the defensive end, they aren’t the scariest offensive team. Both RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson have been rather inconsistent in the scoring column this season. Barrett is shooting just a smidge over 40 percent from the field on the season, while Brunson has shot a dismal 38.8 percent from the field over the past seven games. The Bulls should also not have to worry about this team destroying them from behind the 3-point line, as the Knicks have been the worst long-range shooting team this season (31.9 percent).
- Now, if there is one player to worry about on offense, it’s Julius Randle. The power forward is looking far more like his All-Star self from two seasons ago, averaging 27.1 points per game over the last seven contests. I hope Patrick Williams is ready for the challenge.
- Speaking of which, now feels like a great time for Williams to have that breakout performance I’ve wished for at 11:11 each night. Mitchell Robinson is the reason that he missed basically the entire regular season with a wrist injury last year. Time for revenge!
- More in here …
