The New York Knicks (2-2) continue their Midwest road trip tonight against the undefeated Chicago Bulls (4-0) tonight at the United Center.
New York has shown flashes of how potent its offense can become under new head coach Mike Brown — but the system is still a work in progress. In their recent loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Knicks poured in 45 points in the second quarter, showing crisp ball movement and spacing reflective of a modern NBA offense. Yet they couldn’t sustain that rhythm, scoring just 40 points in the entire second half while giving up 68.
A big part of New York’s inconsistency stems from Karl-Anthony Towns, who’s still adjusting to his role in Brown’s system. He’s shooting a dismal 35.2% from the field, and a lingering quad injury may be hampering his effectiveness.
The Knicks will get a major boost tonight, however, with the return of Deuce McBride — a key perimeter defender — and Mitchell Robinson, whose rim protection and rebounding will immediately help their defense and lead to transition baskets.
Chicago, on the other hand, has been one of the season’s early surprises. Despite missing Coby White, the Bulls are off to a 4-0 start with solid wins over the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic — both playoff teams a year ago.
Defense has been their foundation: they enter tonight with the third-best defensive rating in the league (106.2), trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. That’s elite company.
Offensively, the Bulls are balanced and efficient. Six players average double figures, led by Josh Giddey (19.5 PPG) and Nikola Vucevic (18.3 PPG). Their 49.6% team shooting reflects strong shot selection and unselfish play.
Still, the next stretch — with back-to-back games against the Knicks, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Cleveland Cavaliers — will be a major test of how real this start is. It’s safe to say the Bulls won’t be undefeated for much longer.
Prediction
The Knicks have the edge tonight with their offensive depth and the return of Robinson and McBride.
Prediction: Knicks 118, Bulls 112
Injury Report
New York Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns — Probable (right quad)
Guerschon Yabusele — Probable (left knee sprain)
Chicago Bulls
Coby White — Out (right calf strain)
Zach Collins — Out (left wrist fracture)
How to Watch Knicks vs. Bulls
Tip-off for tonight’s New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls game is set for 8:00 PM Eastern / 7:00 PM Central at the United Center in Chicago.
The game airs live on CHSN for the Chicago region and MSG for the New York region.
Out-of-market viewers can stream the matchup on NBA League Pass for free on Amazon Prime Video with a 7-day free trial here.
Amazon also offers a discounted subscription that starts at $12.74 for the first two months (then $16.99/month). The subscription also includes access to NBA TV.
Fans can also choose a Team Pass to follow one team’s games for $13.99 per month.
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls
Date: Friday, October 31, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM Eastern / 7:00 PM Central
Venue: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
TV: CHSN, MSG
Streaming: Gotham Sports, NBA League Pass (out-of-market)