The Chicago Bulls (22-33) travel to face off against the New York Knicks (36-18) on Thursday, February 20th. This game will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York and televised on MSG. The Knicks are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Bulls are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Bulls. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.

Bulls vs Knicks

The Bulls Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Bulls dropped to 22-33 on the season after a 128-110 home loss to the Pistons on Wednesday. Chicago entered the game as +6 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 238, just over the pre-game line of 236.5.

After a 32-32 tie in the 1st quarter, the Pistons took control with an 11-0 run, narrowing the score from 73-61 to 73-72. Detroit then outscored Chicago 34-27 in the 2nd quarter, 30-23 in the 3rd, and 32-28 in the 4th.

The Knicks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Knicks improved to 36-18 on the season with a 149-148 win over the Hawks on Wednesday. New York was favored by 8 points but narrowly escaped with the victory. The total score of 297 points far exceeded the over/under line of 241.5.

New York led 104-101 going into the 4th quarter, but the Hawks went on an 11-0 run, stretching their lead from 137-134 to 148-134. The Knicks rallied to close the game on a 15-0 run and secure the win.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

Ayo Dosunmu led the Bulls with 23 points and 6 assists in their loss to the Pistons, shooting 56.2% from the field. Nikola Vučević added 21 points and 14 rebounds, hitting 58.3% of his shots.

Chicago struggled from beyond the arc, making just 9 threes at a 22% clip, contributing to an overall shooting percentage of 43%. Josh Giddey hit 3 threes at 75%, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the 4th quarter.

Knicks Offense Breakdown

The Knicks shot 57.4% from the field in their 149-148 win over the Hawks, with Karl-Anthony Towns leading the way, scoring 44 points and hitting 7 threes at a 70% clip. Jalen Brunson added 36 points, while Precious Achiuwa contributed 26 points on 75% shooting.

New York made 11 threes, shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc. Towns scored 18 points in the 2nd quarter, while Brunson added 6 points in overtime.

Bulls Team Defense

Defensively, the Bulls struggled against the Pistons, giving up 128 points while allowing Detroit to shoot 51% from the field. Chicago allowed 32 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters and 34 in the 2nd.

From beyond the arc, the Bulls held the Pistons to 10 made threes, but Detroit still shot 40% from deep. Chicago also sent the Pistons to the line 35 times, where they made 28 free throws. The Bulls finished with 9 steals and 7 blocks.

Knicks Team Defense

The Bulls struggled defensively on Wednesday, giving up 128 points to the Pistons. Chicago allowed 32 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters, and 34 in the 2nd. Detroit shot 51% from the field overall.

Chicago did limit the Pistons to 10 made threes, but Detroit still shot 40% from deep. The Bulls sent the Pistons to the line 35 times, where they hit 28 free throws. Chicago finished with 9 steals and 7 blocks.

Bulls vs Knicks Trends

• In their last five games away from home, the Bulls have a straight up record of 1-4 while going 1-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 111 points per game in this stretch.
• Across their ten previous home games, New York has an ATS mark of 6-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 8-2 while averaging 118 points per game.
• The last three games that Chicago was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 0-3 while going 0-3 straight up.
• New York has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 3-0 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last three games.

Bulls vs Knicks Prediction

The Bulls come in as the underdog at +12.5, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 242, and our model predicts the Bulls and Knicks to score a combined 234 points. We recommend betting on the under.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.