Struggling Bulls Face a Steep Test at Madison Square Garden

By NBA Stat Desk How we produce articles

Chicago's leaky interior defense meets a Knicks team eager to steady its season.

CHI @ NYK Nov 5, 2026 at 12:30 AM UTC

The Bulls arrive in New York at 1-5, with multiple blowout losses and an offense that has looked sloppy and out of sync. The defensive numbers are the bigger concern. Chicago allows 52.3 points in the paint per game, sixth-most in the NBA, and one source says the team lacks the backcourt defense to handle quick guards. That is a hard problem to face against an unchanged Knicks starting five of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges.

Nic Claxton is Chicago's possible lifeline. The rim protector practiced in full for the first time since straining his hamstring in camp and is close to his Bulls debut. His absence has hurt Tiago Splitter's defense, which was built around him. Even so, his return is only a possibility here, and one player cannot fix every perimeter breakdown on a team that has struggled this much.

The Knicks are 2-4 themselves, coming off a 98-93 NBA Cup loss to Philadelphia that snapped a two-game win streak. Their start has been marked by mistakes, so this is a chance to steady things. Jose Alvarado is questionable with a left ankle sprain and has been out since the second game, so guard depth is worth watching. The usual bench of Josh... McBride, Shamet, Kolek, Drummond and Clarkson should be in place. Clarkson averages only 5.2 points, yet New York has a +38.1 net rating in his 43 minutes, against -7.9 in the 245 minutes he has been off the court. The sample is small and skewed by one big game against Chicago, but it is a storyline to watch.

I expect New York's starters to attack a Bulls defense that gives up so much in the paint, and to score enough there to pull away. Chicago may get a boost if Claxton plays, but the Knicks should have too much at home.

Prediction: Knicks 113, Bulls 101.

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