Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks, Prediction, & Pick
Bulls vs. Knicks Odds
| Bulls Odds | +9 |
| Knicks Odds | -9 |
| Over/Under | 220.5 |
| Date | Wed, Jan. 3 |
| Time | 8:30 p.m. |
| TV | ABC |
On Wednesday night, the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks will meet at Madison Square Garden. Entering play, the Bulls are 15-20, occupying the 10 seed in the Eastern Conference standings. The Knicks are 18-15 but are hoping that their recent blockbuster trade will elevate their rest-of-season trajectory.
Ahead of tip-off this evening, the Knicks are favored by 9 points on the spread. The total is set at over/under 220.5 points.
Below, we break down the matchup for both teams and offer a free pick for the betting community!
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Chicago Bulls
Short-handed Bulls
On Wednesday, Chicago will once again be without Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic – two of their top-4 leading scorers this season. In four games since Vucevic last played on December 23, the Bulls are a respectable 2-2, but they rank 20th in Net Rating, having been outscored by 3.6 points per 100 possessions. Chicago lost their only road game in that stretch by 13 points against the 76ers, but they trailed by as many as 31 points in that contest.
Coby White elevating his game
According to RotoGrinders CourtIQ, Coby White (+4.2%) has seen the largest increase in usage of any player on the Bulls roster this season when both LaVine and Vucevic are off of the floor. In a sample size of 270 such minutes, White is averaging 22.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per 36 minutes.
In four games with both LaVine and Vucevic inactive this year, White is averaging 5.5 rebounds and 8.8 rebound chances per contest.
New York Knicks
Big news in the Big Apple
Last week, the Knicks acquired OG Anunoby in exchange for a package that included RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley being sent to the Raptors, a trade that seemed to frustrate many New Yorkers. However, the first-look at the revamped Knicks roster showed exactly why the front office made the deal. On Sunday, New York took down the top team in the Western Conference, the Timberwolves, leading by as many as 22 points in the win. Anunoby is a natural fit alongside Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, and he helps the defense immensely, which will no doubt please head coach Tom Thibodeau.
King Julius ready to shine
Perhaps the biggest winner of the trade was Julius Randle, who should see his usage spike tremendously with RJ Barrett out of the mix on the offensive end of the floor. In his first game following the trade, Randle scored 39 points on 24 shot attempts, with 18 of his 24 shots coming from inside the 3-point line. Randle is a much more efficient scorer when he is able to drive to the basket and operate around the rim, which is what we saw over the weekend. He could make a serious run at an All-Star bid this month with better floor spacing and more cohesive roster construction.
Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks Prediction
Bulls Team Total – UNDER 105.5 Points, -108 FanDuel
Following a rough 1st quarter defensively on Sunday, the Knicks allowed only 46 points during the 2nd and 3rd quarters before OG Anunoby got himself into foul trouble late in the game. The defensive potential of New York’s new roster construction was immediately palpable, which is notable considering they played one of the best teams in the league in their first game together. Chicago ranks 29th in offensive efficiency, scoring only 107.6 points per 100 possessions in four games since Nikola Vucevic last played. The Bulls might struggle to break 100 points tonight at Madison Square Garden on the second night of a back-to-back set.
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