The New York Knicks will have a chance to bounce back against the undefeated Chicago Bulls on Sunday night, and for the first time this season, they might be close to full strength. The Knicks enter the rematch at Madison Square Garden with a 2-3 record, having dropped three straight games, including a 135-125 loss to these same Bulls on Friday. Head coach Mike Brown made it clear after that defeat that defensive intensity, not offense, was the team’s biggest concern heading into Sunday’s NBA Cup matchup.
The most encouraging news for New York is that Mitchell Robinson could finally make his season debut. The center, who’s been recovering from an ankle injury, has been upgraded to questionable and could provide a huge boost to the Knicks’ interior defense. With no other players listed on the injury report, Brown will have his full rotation available for the first time this year, a welcome change for a team that’s struggled with rim protection and rebounding.
Robinson’s return would also ease the workload of Karl-Anthony Towns, who’s been logging heavy minutes despite playing through a right quad strain. Towns has averaged 18.0 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in his first five outings with the Knicks, anchoring their offense and battling through physical matchups.
The star forward has found chemistry with Jalen Brunson, who’s averaging an impressive 31.2 points per game and continues to be one of the league’s most consistent clutch scorers. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby round out one of the most versatile starting lineups in the Eastern Conference, combining for over 35 points and 12 rebounds per night.
Chicago, meanwhile, enters Sunday’s contest as one of the hottest teams in basketball. The Bulls are 5-0 for the first time since the 1996-97 season, a year that ended with a championship for Michael Jordan’s squad. This current group, led by Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic, has been just as impressive in its own way.
Giddey is playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 22.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists while shooting 45.5% from three. He scored a career-high 32 points in Friday’s win over New York, showing off improved range and composure against a variety of defenders.
Vucevic has been the Bulls’ stabilizer inside, putting up 19.8 points and 12 rebounds per game. Matas Buzelis and Kevin Huerter have provided valuable scoring depth, while Patrick Williams continues to evolve as a secondary playmaker. Even off the bench, Tre Jones has been a spark, averaging 16.2 points in limited minutes.
However, the Bulls will be short-handed this time around. Zach Collins and Noa Essengue remain out, while Coby White will miss the game with a calf strain. Ayo Dosunmu is questionable due to a quad contusion, and Julian Phillips is listed as probable with back tightness. With so many rotational players dealing with injuries, head coach Billy Donovan may need to extend minutes for his stars.
For the Knicks, this matchup is about resilience. After allowing 72 first-half points in Friday’s loss, Mike Brown challenged his team to ‘guard the basketball’ and rediscover their physical identity.
With a healthy roster and home-court advantage, the Knicks are poised to test the Bulls’ unbeaten streak. Chicago will lean on Giddey’s playmaking and Vucevic’s interior dominance, while New York hopes its full-strength lineup can finally deliver the defensive response Mike Brown has been demanding.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden, where one team’s streak, either Chicago’s perfect start or New York’s losing skid, will come to an end.
