New York Knicks 133, Chicago Bulls 127: a 43-point fourth quarter
Jalen Brunson scored 38 and the Knicks won the fourth quarter 43-31 to win at United Center, but Chicago covered the 7.5.
The New York Knicks were down six going into the fourth quarter at United Center on Wednesday night. They scored 43 in it and beat the Chicago Bulls 133-127.
Jalen Brunson led the way with 38 points and 7 assists, and hit 6 of 10 from three. Chicago led by as many as 19 at one point. New York pulled the game back in a single quarter and have now won two straight after an 0-3 start.
How it was won
The first quarter was even, 34-33 to New York. The second quarter was the Knicks' worst of the night. They scored 22 to Chicago's 29 and went to the break down 62-56. The Bulls' 19-point lead came during this stretch, and New York spent the third quarter just holding its place. Both teams scored 34, and the Bulls took a 96-90 lead into the last period.
The game turned in the fourth. New York outscored Chicago 43-31 and went from six down to six up. The Knicks' largest lead of the night was 11, which shows how quickly the game changed late.
The box score explains how they got there. New York made 22 of 48 threes to Chicago's 18 of 42, which is 12 extra points from the arc. The Knicks also won the glass 50-39. That made up for a worse shooting night overall: 45 percent from the field to the Bulls' 48. They took 105 shots to Chicago's 91, and the extra possessions came from those rebounds.
OG Anunoby added 23 points and 6 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists, and went 3 of 6 from three. Assists were level at 32 each, and turnovers were close, 13 for New York and 12 for Chicago. Points in the paint were near even too, 44 to 42.
Chicago had its chances at the line. The Bulls got 30 free throws to New York's 20 but made only 21, while the Knicks made 17 of 20. Norman Powell scored 30 for Chicago. Caleb Wilson added 20, and Jalen Smith finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. The Bulls fall to 1-4.
Against the number
New York closed as a 7.5-point favorite, at -278 on the moneyline, with Chicago at +225. The Knicks won by six, so the Bulls covered.
That result rests on the first three quarters. New York trailed for most of the night, and even a 12-point fourth quarter was not enough to clear the spread. Anyone holding Knicks -7.5 watched the lead reach 11 at one point before it settled at six.
The total was never in doubt. The market closed at 233.5, and the teams combined for 260, so the over cleared by 26.5. Both teams went past 125, with 40 made threes and 38 made free throws between them. Full closing prices are on the game page.
What's next
The Knicks, now 2-3, play again on Friday, October 30, at the Philadelphia 76ers, on Prime Video. Philadelphia beat New York 106-100 on opening night, so this is a quick chance at a rematch.
The Bulls' next game was not part of the material we have. They sit at 1-4 after letting a 19-point lead get away at home.
