The Chicago Bulls will battle the New York Knicks on Thursday in Manhattan. It will be an big showdown at Madison Square Garden as we continue our NBA odds series with a Bulls-Knicks prediction and pick.
The Bulls lead the head-to-head series 130-118. However, the Knicks have gone 6-4 in the past 10 games against the Bulls, including 3-2 over five games at Madison Square Garden.
The Bulls have won both games this season. They recently defeated the Knicks 139-126 at home on January 4, 2025, a couple of months after they edged them out 124-123 at the Garden.
Here are the Bulls-Knicks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Bulls-Knicks Odds
Chicago Bulls: +13.5 (-108)
Moneyline: +640
New York Knicks: -13.5 (-112)
Moneyline: -950
Over: 244.5 (-110)
Under: 244.5 (-110)
How To Watch Bulls vs. Knicks
Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT
TV: MSG + Chicago Sports Network
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Bulls Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Bulls are in a weird situation as they attempt to navigate the rest of their schedule and possibly sneak into the playoffs. So far, they are just 22-33 and locked in a play-in seed. But after trading Zach Levine to the Sacramento Kings, the Bulls have a slightly different roster and will attempt to take down the Knicks again.
When the Bulls defeated the Knicks at the United Center, they did it despite falling behind 33-29 after the first quarter and 72-63 at halftime. But they exploded in the third quarter with 41 points while holding the Knicks to 17. Then, they held the line and finished the Knicks off in the fourth.
Coby White led the way with 33 points while shooting 11 for 17 from the field, including a scorching 9 for 11 from the three-point line. Meanwhile, Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 10 for 19 from the floor. Josh Giddey added 15 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists while shooting 5 for 10 from the hardwood, including all three shots from the three-point line.
The Bulls shot well in this game, hitting 54.3 percent of their shots, including 54.1 percent from beyond the arc. Also, they shot 94.4 percent from the free-throw line. The Bulls held the Knicks to 49.5 percent shooting, including 26.7 percent from the three-point line. Significantly, the Bulls won despite losing the board battle 49-43. They also had six steals and blocked four shots. Likewise, they overcame 12 turnovers.
The Bulls will cover the spread if their top players can continue to shoot the rock well and avoid making mistakes. Then, they must do a better job on the boards.
Why the Knicks Could Cover the Spread/Win
Karl-Anthony Towns is the top dawg in New York and continues to put numbers up consistently, along with his running mate Jalen Brunson. However, neither has been able to beat the Bulls this season, and they will do everything they can to change that. They came pretty close in November, but the Bulls beat them at the buzzer.
That game did not start well for the Knicks, as they trailed 29-22 after the first quarter and 59-47 at halftime. While they attempted to rally, they ultimately fell short. Towns was unguardable in this game, going off for 46 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 18 for 30 from the field, including 6 for 12 from the triples. Meanwhile, Brunson had 24 points while shooting 9 for 20 from the hardwood. Mikal Bridges finished with 20 points while shooting 8 for 15 from the floor. Likewise, OG Anunoby had 14 points. The issue came from the bench, as the Knicks only had 13 total points.
The Knicks shot 51.1 percent from the floor, including 40.5 percent from beyond the arc. Yet, they made just 66.7 percent of their free-throw chances. The Knicks also allowed the Bulls to shoot 53.7 percent from the floor, including 38.9 percent from the three-point line. Even worse, they gave the Bulls 27 free-throw attempts. The Knicks did not win the board battle, so they must rectify that. Also, they turned the ball over 15 times.
The Knicks will cover the spread if they can shoot the rock well and avoid turning the ball over. Then, they must win the board battle and play better defense.
Final Bulls-Knicks Prediction & Pick
The Bulls are 23-30-2 against the spread, while the Knicks are 27-26-1 against the spread. Additionally, the Bulls are 11-14-1 against the spread on the road, while the Knicks are 14-14-1 against the spread at home. The Bulls are 18-18-1 against the spread when facing the Eastern Conference, while the Knicks are 18-17-1 against the spread when facing the East.
The Bulls are 2-0 against the spread against the Knicks this season. While they no longer have Lavine, I think the Bulls will still find a way to compete. I also believe the spread if way too high. Therefore, I am giving the nod to the Bulls to cover.
Final Bulls-Knicks Prediction & Pick: Chicago Bulls: +13.5 (-108)
The post Bulls vs. Knicks prediction, odds, pick – 2/20/2025 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
