Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks betting tips and predictions for Wednesday’s NBA game on ESPN. We have a battle between the 6th seed and the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference as the Bulls and Knicks lock horns for the first time this regular season. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.
Chicago Bulls
It was another heartbreaking loss for the Bulls in their last game as they fell 123-122 to the Atlanta Hawks on the road in OT. DeMar DeRozan did his best with a monster stat line of 34 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists, but he couldn’t do much when A.J. Griffin hit the game winning alley-oop as time expired.
It was Chicago’s 10th defeat in 14 road games, but the good news is they return home tonight where they are 7-5 SU this season and ridding a 3-game win streak. They are also on a solid run of covering the spread 7 times in the last 10 vs Eastern Conference opponents, plus against teams from New York’s division they’ve been able to cover in 4 of the last 5 games. Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu are both listed as questionable here with tailbone and abdominal injuries, but they are likely to suit up.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have only Jalen Brunson questionable for tonight’s game, while Obi Toppin has been ruled out with a knee issue. They’ve been on a solid run lately winning their last 4 games and going up to 6th place in the East which would guarantee them a playoff spot if the season were to end today.
Their defense has been on point, holding the last 3 opponents to 102 or fewer points which is a remarkable achievement in today’s high scoring NBA. Julius Randle has been consistent this season averaging 22.3 points per game, but after scoring just 5 games in his previous game vs the Bulls, the Knicks fans are expecting a bounce back performance here. Knicks are 8-4 SU/ATS in the last 12 meetings with Chicago.
Despite the solid run lately, the oddsmakers still don’t favor the Knicks here as they enter as 4-point underdogs. They have a 6-10 SU record in that role this season, but with a solid 8-5 ATS run in road games I have to say I like their chances here. Even if they lose by 3 points, they still cover the spread, so let’s try our luck by backing New York here.
Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks Predictions & Odds
Solidifying the defense has been the key to all 4 wins for New York over the past 10 days or so. They held Sacramento, Atlanta and Cleveland all under 100 points, while the Hornets managed just 102 in their last road game. This team is known for going under the total in road games, they have a 4-8-1 record on the O/U away from home.
Chicago is even more frequent in playing the under in their home games, cashing on that bet 9 times in 12 games. Head-to-head meetings have produced 7 unders in the last 10 meetings, and an average of 216 points per game during that stretch. That makes tonight’s projected total of 225.5 points very unrealistic if you ask me. The two teams rank in the middle of the NBA in offensive efficiency, I think we’ll see a solid defensive showdown here, with the winner likely being decided on that end. Take the under.
