Later today, the Chicago Bulls will host the New York Knicks in their first NBA Cup Group Play game. These matchups will count toward their regular-season record and also contribute to their contention for the NBA Cup, a midseason mini-tournament. The first four games will each be played on Friday nights, against the other four teams in East Group C. After the Group Play round, the top team from each of the three groups per conference, plus two wild card teams, will advance to a single-elimination tournament, eventually crowning the NBA Cup Champion. This format suits Chicago well, the type of team that is unlikely to outdo a true contender in a seven-game series, but can perform better on any given night.
Coming In Hot
The Bulls could not have hoped for a better start to the year. They're 4-0 and have beaten two Eastern Conference playoff teams from last season. Tonight will be their toughest test. Three things must happen to have a chance: Josh Giddey has to continue his stellar play, Nikola Vucevic must remain steady from beyond the three-point line, and Matas Buzelis needs to show out on the biggest stage of his young career. After beating Sacramento at home in Buzelis's highest scoring game of the year, do they have a real chance at starting the NBA Cup 1-0?
THE BULLS ARE 4-0 🔥
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 30, 2025
Matas Buzelis showed out against the Kings with 27 points 🪣 pic.twitter.com/5kHAJCiTYG
They'll enter the game as five-point underdogs, a position they've been in for three of their first four games. The biggest keys to the game will be New York's three-point shooting, Chicago's half-court offense, and containing Karl-Anthony Towns.
Containing K.A.T. And Keeping Pace
A Bulls win will almost entirely be dependent on minimizing Karl-Anthony Towns's impact. Kristaps Porzingis, a similarly skilled big man, completely dominated Chicago earlier this week due to the matchup problem he presents. The Bulls give up more points in the paint than any other team in the league and lack a versatile forward with the size to compete against a seven-footer who can also shoot the three-point ball. New York runs small-ball outside of Towns, so Vucevic will likely draw the matchup. His limited defensive versatility and severely minimal mobility will be an issue.
Kristaps Porzingis vs. Bulls
— 79-3 + Banner 19 (@jaylenbrownszn_) October 28, 2025
27 points
11-17 FG (3-6 3P) pic.twitter.com/L7pNV2lDM1
Chicago has also somehow held opponents to less than 26% from three-point land. Luckily, the Knicks are bottom-five in the NBA in three-point percentage, but do attempt the third-most. Forcing another off-night from deep will be key to a Bulls victory. Offensively, Billy Donovan's group has been elite in the areas of pace, assists, and widespread scoring contributions. They've had at least six players in double figures each night, with as many as eight against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
Can the Bulls continue their improbable streak to begin the year, or will reality strike hard in their first meaningful matchup of the season?
