Knicks vs Bulls NBA Handicapping
The Knicks are either a powerhouse team just starting to come in to its own and ready to obliterate inferior competition in the first two rounds of the playoffs before giving Miami all it can handle in the Eastern Conference finals.
New York Knicks (51-26) at Chicago Bulls (42-35)
Thursday, April 11
United Center, Chicago
8 p.m. EST
Spread – Knicks -4 from Betonline
O/U – 190.5
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Or . . .
They’re a phony, soft sugar high and have won 13 straight meaningless games led by an offensive player whose teams have a history of playoff one-and-dones and will fold like a Justin Bieber concert in London as soon as opponents can start to game-plan against him.
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What we do know about the Knicks is that they are nothing like the NYK teams that stunk up MSG for the past decade. Say what you want about Carmelo and the Anthonys, but the team that will face the Bulls tonight in Chicago has – for the time being, anyway – energized its fan base and raised expectations in the Big Apple.
New York hasn’t quite slammed the door on the Pacers for what passes for their battle for the No. 2 playoff seed in the East, but with Indiana three down in the loss column and the Knick schedule featuring games against Cleveland and Charlotte over the final 8 days, it’s all over except the stat-padding.
Unless really strange things happen over the next week, the Knicks will take on the Celtics in the first round, a battle which has the potential to either toughen up NY for a conference final against Miami that everyone wants, or take the air out of the balloon and solidify Anthony’s rep as less than a playoff star. [ad-6571516]
The Bulls, meanwhile, are dealing with some moderate late-season drama. They are essentially tied with the Hawks for the No. 5 playoff seeding, with three road games (Toronto, Miami, Orlando) in four days starting Friday on the horizon.
But Job One in Chicago right now is getting healthy – the Bulls are expected to be without Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and Taj Gibson tonight.
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Without Deng and Gibson, who covers Anthony on the perimeter? Maybe Jimmy Butler, who has the size (6-foot-7) but was forced to play 48 minutes two nights ago in a loss at home to the Raptors. Anthony has scored at least 36 points in five straight games and is trying to hold off Kevin Durant for the league’s scoring title.
New York has injury problems of its own. Kenyon Martin is dealing with a sprained ankle and Tyson Changler is iffy with a neck ailment. Knicks still should have enough cover this one as Chicago licks its many wounds over the final week.
