The New York Knicks have not had a great 2019-20 season thus far, with their blowout loss to the Cavaliers leading to the front office deciding to come out and speak to the media. Since they made it to the second round with Carmelo Anthony several years ago, nothing has gone right for them, and they have not even been able to achieve mediocrity. It is far worse than that, and it does not appear that there is a quick fix for this.
Chicago should also be feeling a lot of pressure to start performing. The Bulls have a very solid starting unit, led by scorers Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen. Otto Porter Jr. is struggling, while Wendell Carter Jr. is yet to prove himself as a game-changer. Rookie Coby White is giving them scoring off the bench but has not shown enough to become a starter for the group. It is hard to say exactly what they need, but something has to be done. Jim Boylan may not be the answer.
Chicago is a 5.5-point favorite for this game at the United Center, with the over/under being set at 214.5.
Knicks Trying To Find Their Rhythm
The Knicks have begun the season by winning just two of 10 games, the first being against these Bulls. They trailed by eight with 3:30 left and ended the game on a 15-0 run. They knocked off the Mavs on Friday before Cleveland blew them out. And the best part of this whole crazy start to the year for NY? Frank Ntilikina is actually getting fan love and proving his worth after two years of limited opportunities from his coaches. RJ Barrett has been up and down, while Julius Randle and Marcus Morris cannot seem to shine in the same game. A healthy Mitchell Robinson could also help.
The Knicks rank 29th in the league in points per game, posting a meager 99.2 while allowing roughly 109 per game, a 10-per-game differential. It was nice to finally see Damyean Dotson get meaningful minutes again in the game versus Cleveland.
Can’t Put It Together
It is hard to say just what needs to be done to fix the Bulls, but as currently constructed, they do not seem to be near a playoff-level team. LaVine’s play has dropped off from last year, while Markkanen is not proving to be a game-breaker type of guy as he was at times for the previous few years. Thaddeus Young has brought a lot more value on the floor than initially anticipated, though he is a 30 percent foul shooter on the season. But that hasn’t helped them win. Playing three point guards together makes zero sense, as Boylan tries to do what Phoenix once (unsuccessfully) tried.
The Bulls do have a good chance against a hapless Knicks team that could see their seventh coaching change of the decade soon.
Bulls Get Their Revenge On NY
Make sure to bet on the Bulls, folks. A win is coming for them. In a big way.
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