Knicks vs. Bulls Prediction, NBA Odds & Best Bets (10/28)

Fact checked at 9:03 AM ET, Oct 28, 2026

Odds as of 8:29 AM ET, Oct 28, 2026

Both teams are 1-3, and tip-off is 8:00 PM ET at the United Center. New York finally got a win in its last game, 111-97 over Detroit at home, with Karl-Anthony Towns putting up 27 points and 20 rebounds. Now the Knicks play the second night of a back-to-back in Chicago. The Bulls are coming off a 134-99 loss at Boston and have allowed 129.5 points a game, the most in the league. New York has allowed 105.3, fourth-fewest. Both numbers come from four games.

We think New York runs this game at both ends. Towns gets the most generous defense in the league so far, and Chicago's offense, with Josh Giddey's scoring already stuck, runs into one of the stingiest. That's the whole card.

The Knicks are -7.5 (-105), and 71% of the spread bets and 83% of the spread money are on New York. Chicago has ruled out center Nic Claxton (hamstring), who hasn't played this season, and lists Patrick Williams and Tobe Awaka as questionable. New York hasn't filed its injury report for this game yet. Jose Alvarado has missed the last two games with a sprained ankle.

Knicks vs. Bulls Predictions

• Pick #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 21.5 Points (-119)
• Pick #2: Josh Giddey Under 10.5 Points (-105)

PICK #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 21.5 Points (-119)

Chicago has given up 135, 125, 124 and 134 points, and New York's steadiest scorer draws that defense.

Towns has scored 19, 22, 22 and 27 with a double-double in every game, and he's 35 of 58 from the field. His last outing was the 27-and-20 night against Detroit on 12-of-21 shooting. The only miss, 19 against Philadelphia, came in 24 minutes, his shortest game of the season, and he has played 33 to 37 minutes in each game since. He's over 21.5 in 3 of 4, and at -119 the implied probability is 54.3%. Claxton is still out, which leaves the Bulls thin up front against him.

The case against starts with his track record: Towns averaged 20.1 points last season, under this number, and four games is a small sample. A back-to-back can trim a big man's minutes, and New York's report isn't in yet. If the Knicks pull away, the starters could sit early.

PICK #2: Josh Giddey Under 10.5 Points (-105)

Giddey's role has shrunk. He averaged 17.0 points in 32.1 minutes a game last season. This season he has started all four games but played only 24 to 30 minutes, and he's taking about eight shots a night.

His points have gone 2, 6, 9 and 11. He made 7 of 26 shots in the first three games, then went 4-of-7 in the 35-point loss at Boston and still finished with just 11, barely past this line. He's under 10.5 in 3 of 4, and -105 works out to 51.2%.

The shots are going to other people. Norman Powell scored 20 with four threes at Boston, and rookie Caleb Wilson is averaging 21.0 points. Giddey is setting up the offense, with 29 assists in four games, more than he's finishing it. New York held Detroit to 97 in its last game, and if the Knicks build a lead, Giddey's minutes could shrink again. He played 24 in each of the blowout losses at Toronto and Boston.

The worry is his history. He was a 17-point scorer a season ago, the Boston shooting night could be the start of a correction, and one hot quarter gets him over 10.5. New York's legs on the second night of a back-to-back could also loosen its defense late.

21+ (18+ where permitted). Odds subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.