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The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls are two of the hottest teams to start the NBA season. The two teams will square off at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday in the second week of the 2021-22 NBA season.
The Knicks are coming off an impressive 112-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday at the Madison Square Garden. It was New York's third win of the season as they try to replicate or even improve on their performance from last season.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are off to their best start to a season since the 1996-97 campaign. They are now 4-0 after a 111-108 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday. The excitement is back in Chicago after the team made a lot of moves in the offseason.
Match Details
Fixture: New York Knicks vs Chicago Bulls | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Thursday, October 28th; 8:00 PM ET (Friday, October 29th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL.
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks returned to winning ways against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. They defeated last year's top seed in the Eastern Conference 112-99. It was an impressive performance from the Knicks after their lackluster showing against the Orlando Magic last Sunday.
Kemba Walker had his first big game for the Knicks after arriving in the offseason. He finished with a team-high 19 points, and also tallied three rebounds and five assists on the night. The Knicks took control of the game in the second half, and never looked back. Head coach Tom Thibodeau is looking forward to the game against his former team, the Chicago Bulls.
“This was a good test for us, and it doesn’t stop, and we can’t feel good about tonight. We have to go to Chicago and play an undefeated team that’s loaded, that’s playing real well,” Thibodeau said.
Key Player - Julius Randle
Julius Randle was the best player for the New York Knicks last season. He won the Most Improved Player Award, and led the Knicks to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. However, they were ousted by the Atlanta Hawks in five games in the first round.
For the season, Randle is averaging 25.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.8 blocks. It's still early in the season, but it looks like Randle will need some stopping. The Knicks added more weapons in offense during the offseason, including Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier.
Randle had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists against the Sixers on Tuesday. If the Knicks want to hand the Chicago Bulls their first loss of the season, Randle will have to play much better.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Kemba Walker; G - Evan Fournier; F - RJ Barrett; F - Julius Randle; C - Mitchell Robinson.
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls are off to their best start to a season since the Michael Jordan era. The Bulls improved to 4-0 following a close 111-108 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday. Chicago were up for most of the game before a furious Raptors resurgence in the fourth quarter put their unbeaten start to the season in danger.
However, DeMar DeRozan took over in the final quarter, helping the Bulls remain without a defeat this campaign. DeRozan ended with 26 points against his former team, scoring 11 of them in the fourth quarter. His new teammate Lonzo Ball praised DeRozan after the game, saying:
“He’s been our go-to (guy) in the closing moments of games, and he hasn’t disappointed yet. Tonight, he put us on his back and carried the fourth quarter for us,” Ball said.
Key Player - Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine had his best season last campaign with the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 27.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, and also made his first All-Star appearance.
LaVine is still the go-to guy for the Bulls this season, despite the addition of DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball. It is also the team's first full season playing with Nikola Vucevic, who was acquired from the Orlando Magic before the trade deadline.
In the win against the Raptors, LaVine still managed to put up 22 points, four rebounds and five assists. If the Bulls have any chance of beating the New York Knicks and remain undefeated, LaVine will have to be at his best while the rest of the team picks him up when needed.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
G - Lonzo Ball; G - Zach LaVine; F - DeMar DeRozan; F - Patrick Williams; C - Nikola Vucevic.
Knicks vs Bulls Match Prediction
The New York Knicks vs Chicago Bulls is an exciting matchup between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Both teams are off to strong starts, but it will come down to the Knicks' defense to contain the Bulls' fiery offense. The advantage is with the Bulls, as they are playing on their home floor.
Where to watch Knicks vs Bulls?
The New York Knicks vs Chicago Bulls game will be broadcast live on NBA TV. It will also be available via live stream on the NBA League Pass. Meanwhile, locan fans can watch the game on NBC Sports Chicago and MSG Network.
