Madison Square Garden showcases a marquee NBA matchup on Wednesday night. The Chicago Bulls take on the New York Knicks in a nationally televised showdown, and it is the second game for New York after the acquisition of OG Anunoby. The Knicks are 18-15 overall and 9-4 at home this season. Chicago arrives on the second night of a back-to-back following a road game in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Malachi Flynn (ankle) are out for the Knicks, while Zach LaVine (foot) and Nikola Vucevic (adductor) are out for Chicago, with Patrick Williams (ankle) listed as questionable.
For this game, SportsLine consensus lists New York as a 9-point favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 220.5 in the latest Knicks vs. Bulls odds. Before making any Bulls vs. Knicks picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 11 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 106-59 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Bulls vs. Knicks and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Bulls vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Bulls spread: Knicks -9
- Knicks vs. Bulls over/under: 220.5 points
- Knicks vs. Bulls money line: Knicks -405, Bulls +314
- CHI: The Bulls are 3-3 against the spread with no rest this season
- NYK: The Knicks are 5-4 against the spread as home favorites in 2023-24
- Knicks vs. Bulls picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Bulls can cover
The Bulls take care of the ball on offense, ranking in the top three of the NBA in turnover avoidance. That lifts Chicago's floor on that end, and the Bulls are facing a Knicks defense that is below-average this season. New York is allowing 115.4 points per 100 possessions overall, and the Knicks are No. 29 in the league with only 3.3 blocked shots per contest. The Knicks are also below-average in opponent field goal percentage (48%) and opponent 3-point percentage (37.7%), and New York creates only 13.2 turnovers per contest on defense.
On the other side, Chicago is in the top eight of the league in turnover creation and steals while leading the NBA in points allowed in the paint. The Bulls are also above-average in fast break points allowed and free throw prevention. New York's offense is potent in some areas, but the Knicks also fall woefully short in key metrics. The Knicks rank in the bottom five of the NBA in assists (23.6 per game) and 2-point shooting (52.0%), and New York lands in the bottom quartile of the league in field goal percentage (46.4%) and free throw percentage (76.9%) this season. See which team to pick here.
Why the Knicks can cover
The Knicks have a rest advantage in this contest with the Bulls playing for the second straight day, and New York also stands to benefit from the venue. The Knicks are 9-4 with a +6.0 net rating at Madison Square Garden this season, while the Bulls are solidly under .500 on the road. Knicks forward Julius Randle is scalding-hot right now, scoring at least 20 points in 18 straight games, and he is averaging 28.2 points per game on 54.5% shooting over that span. Randle and Jalen Brunson key an offense that ranks in the top 10 of the NBA in overall efficiency, and New York is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the NBA, securing 33.3% of missed shots on the glass.
The Knicks also boast stellar metrics on defense, including top-five marks in free throw prevention (21.0 attempts allowed per game) and defensive rebound rate (72.9%). New York is also in the top eight in points allowed in the paint (47.5 per game) and second-chance points allowed (12.7 per game), with Chicago scuffling on offense. The Bulls are scoring fewer than 1.13 points per possession this season, and Chicago is in the bottom five of the league in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, and assists per game. See which team to pick here.
How to make Bulls vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting 222 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Bulls vs. Knicks? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 106-59 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
