3rd Quarter Report
The Bulls are giving their home crowd exactly what they were hoping for. They have jumped out to a 81-76 lead against the Knicks.
The Bulls came into the game with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.
Who's Playing
New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls
Current Records: New York 45-31, Chicago 36-40
How To Watch
- When: Friday, April 5, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: United Center -- Chicago, Illinois
- TV: MSG Network
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $73.00
What to Know
Having just played yesterday, the New York Knicks will head out on the road to face off against the Chicago Bulls at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday at United Center. The Knicks' defense has only allowed 107.9 points per game this season, so the Bulls' offense will have their work cut out for them.
The Knicks had to suffer through a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They walked away with a 120-109 victory over the Kings on Thursday. The win was all the more spectacular given New York was down by 21 with 8:42 left in the second quarter.
The Knicks' success was spearheaded by the efforts of Jalen Brunson, who dropped a double-double on 35 points and 11 assists, and Josh Hart, who almost dropped a double-double on 31 points and nine rebounds. Brunson had some trouble finding his footing against the Heat on Tuesday, so this was a step in the right direction.
Meanwhile, the point spread may have favored the Bulls last Monday, but the final result did not. They fell 113-101 to the Hawks.
DeMar DeRozan put forth a good effort for the losing side as he scored 31 points along with five assists and two steals. His evening made it six games in a row in which he has scored at least 30 points.
New York's victory bumped their record up to 45-31. As for Chicago, their defeat dropped their record down to 36-40.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Knicks haven't given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 12.3 turnovers per game. However, it's not like the Bulls (currently ranked third) struggle in that department as they've been averaging only 11.6. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Knicks are hoping to beat the odds on Friday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. For those looking to play the spread, keep New York's opponent in mind: they have a solid 7-3 record against the spread vs Chicago over their last ten matchups.
Odds
Chicago is a slight 1.5-point favorite against New York, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Bulls as a 1-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are predicting a defensive showdown and set the over/under low at 212.5 points.
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Series History
New York has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Chicago.
- Jan 03, 2024 - New York 116 vs. Chicago 100
- Dec 23, 2022 - Chicago 118 vs. New York 117
- Dec 16, 2022 - New York 114 vs. Chicago 91
- Dec 14, 2022 - New York 128 vs. Chicago 120
- Mar 28, 2022 - New York 109 vs. Chicago 104
- Dec 02, 2021 - Chicago 119 vs. New York 115
- Nov 21, 2021 - Chicago 109 vs. New York 103
- Oct 28, 2021 - New York 104 vs. Chicago 103
- Apr 28, 2021 - New York 113 vs. Chicago 94
- Feb 03, 2021 - New York 107 vs. Chicago 103