NBA picks: Bulls vs. Knicks prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report for Wednesday, Jan. 3
Williams and White are both in for the Bulls on the second night of a back-to-back set. The line is Knicks -8.5 and I’m still going with New York as the ATS pick. The total is 220 and I still like the under.
The Chicago Bulls (15-20) will complete a back-to-back set Wednesday when they meet the New York Knicks (18-15) at Madison Square Garden. Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET and the game will air on ABC. The Bulls are coming off a loss to the 76ers Tuesday, while the Knicks got a nice win over the Timberwolves to begin the new year. This is the first meeting between these teams this season.
The Bulls don’t have to release an official injury report until 1 p.m. ET, but Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic are likely to be out. Coby White and Patrick Williams both suffered injuries Tuesday, so their statuses are up in the air. White did return to Tuesday’s game while Williams did not. The Knicks don’t have any day-to-day injuries.
The Knicks are 9.5-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total coming in at 220.5. New York is -410 on the moneyline while Chicago is +320.
Bulls vs. Knicks, 8:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Knicks -9.5
New York is 5-4 ATS as the home underdog this season and has only covered two double-digit spreads, but the Knicks are going to be much healthier and better rested than the Bulls in this game. Chicago is 3-3 ATS on no rest and 4-1-1 ATS with a rest disadvantage, so there’s reason to believe this can be a close game even with it being the second night of a back-to-back set. However, the Bulls could also just opt to punt this game if their injuries are too much. It’s best to just back the home team to secure a big win tonight.
Over/Under: Under 220.5
The Knicks have gone over their totals in three of the last five games, and their lines have been set much higher than this one. However, they did go under a similar number Monday against the Timberwolves. The Bulls have gone under their totals in six straight games, and are unlikely to have a few of their best offensive players back for this contest. I like the under in this one.
