CHICAGO bulls vs knicks
The Chicago Bulls vs. the New York Knicks is an evergreen juicy NBA matchup for several reasons: decades of history, passionate fanbases and rosters heavy on individualists spitballing how to play another game bogged down by wins and losses. While neither of these historic franchises has recently been in the business of competing for championships, their games still have had meaning, particularly when they played each other and were involved in regular-season and playoff race jockeying.
This article will go over what the Bulls vs Knicks series consists of nowadays, some players to watch on both sides, and what to expect from each team when they meet.
Bulls vs Knicks Rivalry: Historical Context
The Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks rivalry reached the peak of its competitiveness in the years from the late 1980s through most of the 1990s as both teams were often near or at the top of their game in contending for space in the Eastern Conference. But their real rivalry was never felt as previously saw in the 1990s against Michael Jordan. For Jordan’s Bulls, two NBA champions in the 1990s seemed to stretch their dominance over the decade with six titles, and for rookie Knicks Coach Pat Riley and later his successor Jeff Van Gundy, that period was defined by some of the finest defensive teams in league history.
The Bulls and Knicks played some unforgettable playoff series in the 1990s, highlighted by the emotionally charged, physical 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals and the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. The feud hit its zenith in the early portion of the decade when the Knicks were regularly one of only a select handful of teams capable of giving Jordan and his Bulls any sort of challenge for Eastern Conference superiority.
And even in the 2000s and 2010s, when the playoff stake of this rivalry wasn’t quite as high, they still met on a regular basis — both teams taking their turn at being good.
History of Bullsvs Knicks Games
As both the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks continue to shift their rosters and rebuild, these are two teams that have had quite a bit of turnover over the last decade. The balance of power in the East has changed and now it’s more of a seeding battle.
The 2020-2021 NBA season signaled a turning point for both franchises. REWIND: The Knicks returned to the playoffs after eight years off under coach Tom Thibodeau largely due to Julius Randle’s emergence as an All-Star, along with the development of a defense-first identity. But the Bulls were still in rebuilding mode, a process that picked up some steam towards the end of last season when Chicago traded for Nikola Vucevic and then signed DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball to complement their core.
All of those moves made the Bulls competitive while the rivalry was a little more meaningful in 2021-2022 as both teams were battling for playoff positions. Style makes fight as they say, certainly in the case of these two franchises, with plunging Knicks defenders meeting roaring Bulls firepower and depth.
Players to Watch: Bulls vs Knicks
Four months into the 2023–24 NBA season, the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks have two rosters that are capable of making for entertaining and competitive battles. These are the top players from both teams beforehand:
