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Fresh off their double-header with the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls arrive at the Madison Square Garden to face a red-hot New York Knicks team who have won nine of their last ten games in the 2020-21 NBA.
Tom Thibodeau's side saw their winning streak snapped on Tuesday by the Phoenix Suns, while the Chicago Bulls come into this fixture after their strong 4th-quarter showing helped them overcome the Miami Heat.
Match Details
Fixture - Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks | 2020-21 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Wednesday, April 28th; 7:30 PM ET (Thursday, April 29th; 5:00 AM IST).
Venue - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY.
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls are coming into this game on the back of a crucial win against the Miami Heat.
Daniel Theis and Nikola Vucevic helped to keep alive their team's playoff hopes alive in the absence of their best offensive player, Zach LaVine. In his absence, the Bulls have gone 4-3 and are within one game of the tenth-placed Washington Wizards.
Despite signing Nikola Vucevic to pair with LaVine, the Chicago Bulls remain inconsistent. Furthermore, they have a challenging run-in, as they have six meetings with top-four teams in their last 11 games.
Key Player - Nikola Vucevic
Without their talisman, LaVine, the Chicago Bulls will once again look at Nikola Vucevic to step up. Their new center has had six double-doubles in his last ten outings, averaging 21.9 points and 10.2 rebounds.
Vucevic's presence in the paint has been key, as the Chicago Bulls have allowed the fewest offensive rebounds in the league this season. He is one of the most underrated centers but is having a career-high offensive season, registering a rating of 119.
Vucevic is also a prolific three-point shooter, draining 48% of attempts in his last ten games.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Coby White l Shooting Guard - Garrett Temple l Small Forward - Patrick Williams l Power Forward - Daniel Theis l Center - Nikola Vucevic.
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks were the team to beat prior to their loss against the Phoenix Suns that snapped their impressive nine-game winning run. Nevertheless, the New York Knicks are up to fourth seed in the East, with two games between themselves and the seventh-placed Miami Heat.
After years of disappointment, the New York Knicks side have produced a surprisingly impressive campaign and look good for a deep run in the postseason. Thibodeau's men have the fourth-best defense in the league and allow the least points and field goals per game.
The New York Knicks have a strong mix of young talent and experienced players who have pulled together to create a formidable unit.
Julius Randle is having the season of his career. He is producing performances that has seen him enter the MVP conversation, even though he is not a frontrunner for the coveted award.
Key Player - Julius Randle
Despite an underwhelming outing on Monday, Julius Randle has sizzled for the New York Knicks this season. In his last five games, the 26-year-old put up a double-double every night and also registered two 30+ point performances and two 40+ point outings.
Julius Randle has been the New York Knicks' go-to guy all season and is leading the team in points, assists and rebounds. He will need to keep up his strong performances, as the New York Knicks have the sixth-most difficult fixture schedule in the remainder of the ongoing season.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Elfrid Payton l Shooting Guard - RJ Barrett l Small Forward - Reggie Bullock l Power Forward - Julius Randle l Center - Nerlens Noel.
Bulls vs Knicks Match Prediction
With home-court advantage and momentum heading into this game, the New York Knicks are expected to emerge victorious in this game. They have gone 21-11 at the Garden this year, while the Chicago Bulls are 14-17 on the road.
The Chicago Bulls also have a far weaker defense, allowing the sixth-best opposition field-goal percentage and committing the sixth-most turnovers per game.
Where to watch the Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks matchup?
In the USA, the game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Chicago Plus and the MSG Network. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
