The Bulls and Knicks will battle it out in an Emirates NBA Cup game for East Group C.
The Emirates NBA Cup is back, with eight games of action tipping off around the NBA on Friday night as all 30 teams begin a new quest to hoist the NBA Cup in Vegas this December. The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls are the lone teams to get things going in East Group C play tonight, with the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks beginning their NBA Cup schedule later. Here are five things to know ahead of tip-off between the Knicks and Bulls (8 PM ET, NBA League Pass) on Halloween night.
- Charging Bulls: Chicago finished last season strong, playing to a 15-5 record in their last 20 games. Although they lost their Play-In matchup against Miami, it was clear that the Bulls were starting to turn the corner with a new-look roster after some shuffling at the 2025 trade deadline. The success has followed into this season, with the team off to a 4-0 start.
- Matas mania: Part of the Bulls’ late-season surge was Matas Buzelis’ expanded role. The No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft saw his playing time double, and with that, his production soared right in line with Chicago’s newfound success. He would finish the 2024-25 campaign averaging 8.6 points on 45.4% shooting. Thus far, he’s pouring in 16.8 points per game on 51% shooting. The second-year pro has been a key piece in their 4-0 start, and his ability to take the next step is paying dividends in the Windy City.
- Brunson burner is lit: Jalen Brunson is averaging what would be a career high 31.8 points per game so far and has scored 37 and 36 in his last two, on a combined 28-for-51 shooting. The reigning Kia Clutch Player of the Year has been on fire and carrying the scoring load for the Knicks.
- Exciting finishes: When these two squads have met, nail-biters have been produced. Two of their last four games against each other went to overtime, while a third was decided by a single point. The other game, won by a margin of 13 points by Chicago, was still a high-scoring affair, combining for 265 points. What kind of fireworks will we have the pleasure of witnessing on Friday when these teams take the floor?
- Seeking bench help: One of the most talked-about improvements that the Knicks were hoping to make during the offseason was improving their bench. The missed time from Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, and Guerschon Yabusele certainly hasn’t helped matters, but New York is currently ranked second-to-last with just 22.5 bench points scored per game. For the Knicks to find better success this year and get the best of the Bulls on Friday night, they’ll need to have a bigger impact from their bench unit. Especially since Chicago currently ranks third, with 48.0 bench points per game.
