The New York Knicks (36-21) head to United Center to face the Chicago Bulls (24-33) on Sunday. Both of these teams are on the second leg of back-to-backs here and will try to overcome that fatigue to get a win here. Before tip-off in the Windy City, you can find my breakdown of this game below, including my Knicks vs Bulls prediction.
Our Knicks vs Bulls Pick
Pick: Under 231.5 ATS PRO
Confidence: 2 out of 5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls
- Date & Time: Sunday, February 22, 2026, 7:10 PM ET
- Venue: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
- Broadcast: NBA League Pass
Key Storylines
- The Knicks are coming off a comeback win over the Houston Rockets at home on Saturday night, with Jalen Brunson making plenty of plays in clutch time to lead New York to a much-needed victory.
- The Bulls have struggled to find consistency, dropping eight games in a row coming into this matchup. The Bulls lost on Saturday to the Detroit Pistons by 16 points at home and Chicago has fallen out of the top 10 in the Eastern Conference during their recent losing streak.
Key Players
New York Knicks
- Jalen Brunson: The Knicks’ scoring leader at 27.1 points per game and also contributes 6.1 assists, functioning as the primary offensive catalyst who pressures defenses nightly. His ability to create shots and make clutch plays will be central to the outcome of this game.
- Karl-Anthony Towns: Averaging 11.9 rebounds and about 19.8 points per game, Towns provides an inside presence and scoring ability at all three levels. Although he has struggled at times this season, his size and offensive skill set give the Knicks an advantage on both ends.
- OG Anunoby: Consistent two-way contributor whose perimeter defense and secondary scoring help stabilize the lineup, especially against the wings and versatile forwards for Chicago.
Chicago Bulls
- Josh Giddey: Leading the Bulls with 18.2 points and 8.7 assists per game, Giddey is the primary playmaker for his team. His ability to initiate offense and find teammates is vital for Chicago’s scoring output.
- Matas Buzelis: The Bulls are in major trouble from a roster standpoint and need players like Buzelis to step up and help fill the void left by all of the players that were traded at the deadline and are currently out due to injuries.
Stat Comparison
| Knicks | Bulls |
|---|
Points per game | 117.9 | 116.5 |
Points allowed per game | 112.0 | 120.5 |
Team Field Goal % | 47% | 47% |
Rebounds Per Game | 46.2 | 44.7 |
Assists Per Game | 27.1 | 29.1 |
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
- Past meetings this season: The Bulls and Knicks have split their season series 1-1, each winning at home.
- The Knicks are 31-27 against the spread so far this season.
- Chicago is 25-32 against the spread entering Sunday night's play.
Knicks vs Bulls Model Projection
Score Projection: Knicks 118 – Bulls 107 ATS PRO
Win Probability: Knicks 74%, Bulls 26% ATS PRO
Final Thoughts
Both of these teams have to come back on short rest to perform in this game. I'm going to take the under as my best bet in this contest, as I'm expecting both offenses to struggle with their shot on tired legs in this old-school Eastern Conference rivalry game.
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