Knicks vs. Bulls prediction, odds, line, spread, time: 2024 NBA picks, January 3 best bets from proven model

Long-time NBA rivals meet in front of a national audience on Wednesday. The New York Knicks host the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden for the first matchup between the teams this season. Chicago (15-20) is playing on the road for the second straight day following a road loss to Philadelphia. New York is on normal rest and entering with an 18-15 overall record and a 9-4 mark at home. Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Malachi Flynn (ankle) are out for the Knicks. Chicago’s injury report isn’t official, though Zach LaVine (foot) and Nikola Vucevic (groin) are expected to remain out.

Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET. For this game, SportsLine consensus lists New York as the 9.5-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 218 in the latest Knicks vs. Bulls odds. Before making any Bulls vs. Knicks picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 11 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 106-59 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Bulls vs. Knicks and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Bulls vs. Knicks:

• Knicks vs. Bulls spread: Knicks -9.5
• Knicks vs. Bulls over/under: 218 points
• Knicks vs. Bulls money line: Knicks -408,  Bulls +318
• CHI: The Bulls are 3-3 against the spread with no rest this season
• NYK: The Knicks are 5-4 against the spread as home favorites in 2023-24
• Knicks vs. Bulls picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why the Bulls can cover

The Bulls take care of the ball on offense, ranking in the top three of the NBA in turnover avoidance. That lifts Chicago’s floor on that end, and the Bulls are facing a Knicks defense that is below-average this season. New York is allowing 115.4 points per 100 possessions overall, and the Knicks are No. 29 in the league with only 3.3 blocked shots per contest. The Knicks are also below-average in opponent field goal percentage (48%) and opponent 3-point percentage (37.7%), and New York creates only 13.2 turnovers per contest on defense. 

On the other side, Chicago is in the top eight of the league in turnover creation and steals while leading the NBA in points allowed in the paint. The Bulls are also above-average in fast break points allowed and free throw prevention. New York’s offense is potent in some areas, but the Knicks also fall woefully short in key metrics. The Knicks rank in the bottom five of the NBA in assists (23.6 per game) and 2-point shooting (52.0%), and New York lands in the bottom quartile of the league in field goal percentage (46.4%) and free throw percentage (76.9%) this season. See which team to pick here.

Why the Knicks can cover

New York made a major splash to end the 2023 calendar year, landing a dynamic and versatile forward in OG Anunoby. Anunoby should fortify New York’s defense, as evidenced by a strong performance on Monday against Minnesota, and the Knicks remain potent on offense. New York’s attack is led by the prominent pairing of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Brunson is averaging 27.0 points and 8.0 assists per game in his last six outings, bumping his season-long averages to 25.6 points and 6.2 assists per game with 43.1% 3-point shooting. Randle is also hot right now, scoring 20 points or more in 18 straight games. 

Over that sample, Randle is averaging 28.2 points and 9.3 rebounds, and that jumps to 35.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in the last three contests. For the season, Randle is averaging 24.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, and he is a key cog in an offense that is scoring more than 1.17 points per possession. The Knicks are electric on the offensive glass, ranking in the top three of the NBA in offensive rebound rate (33.3%) and second-chance points (16.5 per game). New York is also in the top ten of the league in 3-point accuracy (37.5%), free throw creation (24.9 attempts per game) and turnover prevention (13.2 per game). See which team to pick here.

How to make Bulls vs. Knicks picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting 222 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Bulls vs. Knicks? And which side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 106-59 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.