The final day of the NBA regular season features all 30 teams in action, including a matchup between the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks. The Bulls have already secured the ninth seed in the Play-In Tournament and are set to face the Hawks for a shot at the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. On the other hand, the Knicks are aiming to secure the second or third seed, depending on the outcome of their game and the Milwaukee Bucks’ game against Orlando.
This will be the third meeting between the Knicks and Bulls in a 10-day span to close out the season. The Knicks won the first matchup, 128-117, as 5-point favorites at United Center. However, the spread for Sunday’s game has jumped to an impressive 15.5 points, with the Bulls expected to rest some key players. Despite narrowly beating the Wizards without DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, Chicago is facing a tough challenge against the Knicks.
The Knicks are coming off a win against the Nets but failed to cover as 11-point home favorites. This marks the first time in four opportunities that New York did not cover as a double-digit favorite. With so many seeding possibilities on the final day, it’s unclear what the Knicks’ motivation will be in this matchup. Given the significant spread, it may be risky to bet on New York to cover such a large margin against a Chicago team that has less to play for.
In terms of betting, the play for this matchup is to take the Bulls and the points, as they are getting 15.5 points against the Knicks. Despite the potential for New York to secure a better seed with a win, the large spread makes it a risky bet to take the Knicks to cover. With both teams having different motivations and circumstances heading into this final game, the outcome is uncertain. The key for bettors is to consider the spread and the implications for both teams when making their decision.
