The New York Knicks welcome the Chicago Bulls to Manhattan for a high-profile tilt on Thursday. New York is 11-10 overall and 5-6 at Madison Square Garden this season. Chicago is 14-8 overall with an impressive 7-4 mark in road games in 2021-22. Coby White (protocols) is out for Chicago, with R.J. Barrett (illness) and Nerlens Noel (knee) listed as questionable for New York.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Chicago as a 2-point road favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 210 in the latest odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Bulls vs. Knicks match-up, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 7 of the 2021-22 NBA season up over $1,500 on all top-rated NBA picks this season. It’s also on a stunning 117-77 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread that dates back to last season. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Bulls and just locked in its NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Bulls vs. Knicks.
- Bulls vs. Knicks spread: Bulls -2
- Bulls vs. Knicks over-under: 210 points
- CHI: The Bulls are 7-4 against the spread in 2021-22 road games
- NYK: The Knicks are 4-7 against the spread in 2021-22 home games
Featured Game | New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls
Why the Bulls can cover
Chicago’s offensive talent is impressive and noteworthy, with multiple high-end scorers and quality balance along the way. However, it is the Bulls’ defense that keys the team’s hot start, and Chicago is allowing just 105.4 points per 100 possessions. That overall defensive efficiency ranks in the top eight of the NBA, and the Bulls are No. 2 in the league in assists allowed (21.3 per game). Chicago is a top-five team in two-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 49.8 percent inside the arc, and the Bulls are creating 15.6 turnovers per game.
The Bulls are also excellent in specialized situations, with top-10 marks in second-chance points allowed (11.7 per game), fast break points allowed (11.0 per game) and points allowed in the paint (43.3 per game). Chicago is facing a Knicks team that is No. 25 in the NBA in two-point shooting and No. 26 in assists, with the Bulls having more than enough defensive firepower to force the Knicks into suboptimal shot attempts.
Why the Knicks can cover
Under Tom Thibodeau, New York consistently challenges shots at a high level on the defensive end. The Knicks are No. 3 in the NBA in field-goal percentage, allowing opponents to shoot just 43.1 percent from the field. New York is dominant against 2-point attempts (49.5 percent allowed), and the Knicks are No. 3 in the league in points allowed in the paint at 41.7 per game. New York is also a top-six team in blocked shots, averaging 5.7 per contest, and the Knicks have the edge on the defensive glass.
Offensively the Knicks are making 36.5 percent of 3-point attempts, No. 6 in the league, and New York is above-average in offensive rebound rate (27.5 percent) and second-chance points (13.9 per game). Chicago is also No. 24 in three-point accuracy allowed, and the Bulls land in the bottom 10 teams of the league in free-throw prevention.
How to make Bulls vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, with the teams projected to combine for 210 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Bulls? And which side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.