Bulls vs. Knicks: Preview

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Bulls vs. Knicks Preview

The 11-5 Bulls, currently a half game back from first in the East, face off against the 9-7 Knicks who sit at the 5th spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

The last time these two teams faced off on October 28th, the Knicks nixed a late comeback to hold onto a 104-103 victory, earning the Bulls the first nick in their record.  

Puns aside, New York comes into this game on a bit of a slide, going 4-6 over their past 10 games after starting the season 5-1, like the Bulls.  In the first matchup, the Knicks dominated the boards, finishing with a +12 margin and out rebounding the Bulls 11-5 on the offensive glass.  Vucevic had his best game offensively (22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists on 8-13 shooting) and perhaps defensively (limiting Julius Randle to 13 points on 3-11 shooting with 4 turnovers).  However, Randle did hurt the Bulls by grabbing 16 rebounds and dishing out 9 assists.  DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine both struggled with their shots, finishing 7-18 and 7-17 from the field respectively.  Meanwhile, New York's backcourt played very well.  Kemba looked like the old Kemba, not the old Kemba, finishing with 5 threes and 21 points on 7-12 shooting overall.  RJ Barrett had one of his better games, scoring 20 on the night on 8-15 shooting, and Rose also shot 50 percent from the field to score 12 points off the bench.

Keys to the Game

  • REBOUNDING - The Bulls will have to limit offensive rebounding opportunities and second chance points.  With Vucevic out, the Knicks will likely take advantage.  Chicago doesn't need to win the battle of the boards, but they need to limit the margin of defeat.

  • GUARD PLAY - DeRozan and Lavine will need to be on in this one.  They got outplayed by the Knicks guards in the last one.  With Vucevic again out of the lineup due to Health and Safety Protocols, they will obviously need to play well.  Look for the Knicks to pressure DeRozan out of his comfort zones in the midrange while Mitchell Robinson and company make rim finishes difficult for Zach Lavine and others.

  • LONZO BALL - If he is hitting his threes, it will go a long way toward helping the Bulls avenge their loss.  He will also need to do a better job clamping down on the Knicks point guards, who carved up the Bulls' defense in the last one. 

  • REIGN IN RANDALL - It seems like Randle will have free reign in the paint tonight.  Tony Bradley is not quick enough and Derrick Jones Jr. is not big enough to stop him.  It will have to be a team effort.  Still, if he is the only one going off, the Bulls should be able to weather the storm.
The odds-makers are favoring the Bulls to win by a 5-point spread.  

Go Bulls



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