If Wednesday night's tilt between the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls was any indication, tonight's game should be a tight affair.
In case you missed it, the Bulls clawed back to force overtime before ultimately falling 128-120 in the extra frame at home. For the Knicks, it was a season-high fifth-straight win. For the Bulls, it was a second consecutive loss in overtime.
At least Chicago did not have to wait long to get a second crack at taking them down. Both teams failed to begin the season the way they imagined, but the Knicks have found their footing.
Let's see if the Bulls can follow suit, starting with a bounce-back win tonight.
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls Match Details
Fixture: New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls
Date and Time: Friday, December 16, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: United Center
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New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls Injury Report
The Knicks' injury report is pretty clean, featuring only two names. Obi Toppin (leg) is out as he continues to recover, while the seldom-used Ryan Arcidiacono (ankle) is listed as questionable.
The Bulls are also fairly fortunate when it comes to the number of injuries they're facing, although one of the names is a very impactful player for them. Lonzo Ball (knee) remains out as he has been since January. Questionable for tonight's game is shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu (pelvis).
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls Betting Odds
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New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls Starting 5s
Knicks - PG: Jalen Brunson, SG: Quentin Grimes, SF: RJ Barrett, PF: Julius Randle, C: Mitchell Robinson
Bulls - PG: Alex Caruso, SG: Zach LaVine, SF: DeMar DeRozan, PF: Patrick Williams, C: Nikola Vucevic
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls Prediction
Games between these two teams tend to be tight. Wednesday night's eight-point margin in overtime was the largest differential in a game between the Knicks and Bulls dating back to the beginning of last season. Well, unfortunately for Chicago, this year's Bulls have been awful in "clutch" games.
Games that are separated by five or fewer points within the last five minutes are deemed "clutch" situations. The Bulls are 3-11 in such games after dropping Wednesday's game to the Knicks. They shot 1-7 in overtime on Wednesday. Assuming this game is as close as the past five meetings have been, I don't feel comfortable siding with the team that struggles in the clutch. Especially not against a team that's streaking.
Prediction: Knicks Money Line (+115)
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