After securing a thrilling comeback victory against the Kings last night at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks (45-31) are now en route to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls (36-40).
The Bulls find themselves squarely in the middle of the pack. They’ve managed to win five of their last ten games but sit at 19th place in both offensive and defensive ratings. Under Billy Donovan’s leadership, they prioritize two-point attempts, ranking third in the league, but struggle with conversion, sitting at 24th place. While lacking standout strengths, they do excel in offensive rebounds, averaging 11 per game, and are relatively conservative with turnovers.
Leading the Bulls is seasoned forward DeMar DeRozan, who leads the team in scoring with 23.6 points, along with 5.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. Despite his prowess in mid-range shooting, his three-point shooting is less impressive, attempting only 2.8 shots from beyond the arc and converting just 32% of them.
In his fifth season, point guard Coby White, aged 23, is having a standout year for Chicago, averaging 19.3 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game. He’s particularly effective from three-point range, shooting at 38% on over seven attempts per game, and has been a consistent starter throughout the current season.
Third-year guard Ayo Dosunmu has contributed an average of 12 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game this season, showing improvement with a 40% three-point shooting rate. Although he had a quieter performance against the Knicks in their last encounter, he has been a reliable scorer for Chicago in their recent games, averaging 18.6 points and 4.6 assists over the past ten games.
Completing Chicago’s starting lineup are likely to be Alex Caruso (guard, averaging 10.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists) and Nikola Vucevic (center, averaging 17.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists).
New York emerged victorious in their initial meeting in January with a score of 116-100, with Julius Randle leading the charge with 35 points, though he’s currently sidelined due to injury. Despite Randle’s absence, the Knicks are favored to win tonight’s game by ESPN.com, with a 56% chance, though fatigue looms large as a factor. The Knicks had to dig deep to overcome an early deficit against Sacramento last night, and with key players like OG Anunoby still out, they are operating with a depleted roster, compounded by the challenge of playing on the second night of a back-to-back with travel.
Nevertheless, New York remains the superior team, even without Randle and Anunoby. Anticipate a sluggish start in the first half, but a strong performance in the third quarter should propel them to victory, likely securing a win with a margin of at least +5 points as they depart from the home of deep-dish pizza.
