Old-school rivals will tip off for the second time this season on Wednesday night. The Knicks (3-4) are still shaking off the rust following their championship-winning 2025-26 campaign. This evening’s matchup against the rebuilding Bulls (1-6) presents an opportunity to reach .500. Still, Chicago nearly took down New York when these teams last met. Can the visitors secure a massive upset on the road tonight?
The Knicks enter today’s matchup as 12.5-point favorites, with the total set at 233.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for Wednesday’s Chicago vs. New York contest.
Bulls vs. Knicks prediction, preview
It’s been a rough start to see the least for Chicago this season. It’s no secret that this group is a long way from contention. Regardless, one win over seven games is a massive disappointment in the Windy City. Keep in mind, this group signed former All-Star Norman Powell over the summer. This season, the wing is averaging 20.3 points per game on mediocre 42/34/79 shooting splits. One bright spot for the Bulls has been Caleb Wilson. The rookie standout is putting up 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
The offense has been league-average on paper, putting up the 15th-most points per game (112.6). However, that’s due in large part to operating at the association’s quickest pace. Chicago possesses the NBA’s fourth-worst offensive rating (106.6). An abysmal 27.9% three-point percentage certainly hasn’t helped. It’s not as if things have been much better elsewhere. The Bulls are on the hook for basketball’s second-lowest defensive rating (122.1). Four of the team’s six losses have come by double-digits, and their lone win was against the equally hapless Bucks.
As for the Knicks, it’s been a shaky start to their title defense. Lackluster performances against the contending Celtics and 76ers haven’t been ideal, but the season is young. It’s likely just a matter of time until Mike Brown’s crew kicks it into second gear. That was the case at the end of Monday’s victory over the Nets. New York outscored its crosstown rivals by a margin of 28-11 in the fourth quarter, earning a 13-point win. Defensively, this is still an intimidating unit. The Knickerbockers are giving up 105.1 points per game, third-fewest in the NBA.
It’s the other side of the ball that has been more of a concern. New York is 27th in points scored (106.4) and 22nd in offensive rating (110.2). Operating at an extremely slow pace, which this group did last season, has played a factor. Finals MVP Jalen Brunson is still getting back into form, averaging 24.6 points on just over 39% shooting. Fortunately for the Knicks, he’s not the only All-Star in town. Karl-Anthony Towns has picked up the slack, posting 20.3 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. If KAT can stay out of foul trouble (big if), he’s due for a monster performance tonight. The center has notched at least 27 points in seven of his previous ten meetings with Chicago.
Best Bet: Knicks -5.5 2nd Half (-105)
New York has played down to its competition to start most games this season. That was the case last time out against the Bulls, needing an impressive third and fourth quarter comeback to escape with a victory. Tonight could be similar, with Chicago’s up-tempo offense looking to push the pace early. As everyone knows, the Knicks are at their best in crunch time. A six-point second half advantage doesn’t seem too daunting.
