Knicks vs. Bulls Betting Line – April 11
Carrie Stroup here with your Knicks vs. Bulls betting line for April 11. Claim your FREE $100 BET HERE when you open a online account today.
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: New York -4 & 190.5
The Knicks try to stay sizzling-hot on Thursday, while attempting to avoid being swept in the season series with the host Bulls.
New York has won 13 straight games SU (12-1 ATS), with the most recent victory on Tuesday clinching the Atlantic Division with a resounding 120-99 victory over Washington. Meanwhile, Chicago has lost five of its past six games ATS, including two straight SU losses to Detroit and Toronto, which have a combined 57-100 SU record (36%) this season. Both of these teams are seriously depleted with injuries. The Knicks will be without six players, all in the frontcourt -- C Tyson Chanlder (neck), C Marcus Camby (foot), PF Amar'e Stoudemire (knee) PF Kenyon Martin (ankle), PF Rasheed Wallace (foot) and SF Kurt Thomas (foot). The Bulls will likely be missing four of their best players in C Joakim Noah, (foot), PF Taj Gibson (knee), PG Derrick Rose (knee), and SF Luol Deng (hip), who is doubtful to suit up on Thursday. Chicago has won all three meetings (SU and ATS) in this season series and is 7-1 SU (5-3 ATS) in the past eight matchups with the Bulls. New York is a putrid 3-19 SU in its past 22 trips to United Center, but is 11-7 ATS (61%) in the past 18 visits to Chicago.
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New York's offense has been strong all season with 100.0 PPG (11th in NBA), but the team's love of the three-point shot keeps its overall FG Pct. at just 44.9% (15th in league). However, there's a reason the Knicks attempt so many shots from long range (28.8 per game), because they make an NBA-best 10.9 threes per game on a sparkling 37.7% clip (4th in NBA). During the 13-game win streak, the team is averaging 105.8 PPG on 50.1% FG and 42.5% threes. This is also a strong defensive team with 95.6 PPG allowed (7th in NBA) despite giving up 45.8% FG (18th in league) and 36.2% threes (19th in NBA). Nobody is hotter in the league than SF Carmelo Anthony (league-high 28.6 PPG) who has scored more than 35 points in five straight games. In this amazing stretch to start off April, Anthony has 40.6 PPG on 61% FG and 59% threes. He's also pulled down 11.3 RPG over his past three contests. Anthony has lit up the Bulls this season with 34.0 PPG, but has done so with a 42% FG clip. SG J.R. Smith (17.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG) has shot even worse against Chicago this season with 18.0 PPG on 33% FG. But like Anthony, he's also having a huge April with 20.4 PPG on 45% FG, 37% threes and 5.2 RPG in the five games. PG Raymond Felton (14.0 PPG, 5.5 APG) has done a masterful job of running the offense in the past two games with 16 assists and just one turnover to go along with 13.0 PPG. He's pumped in 24.0 PPG in two meetings with the Bulls this season, but has made just 35% of his shots. SF Iman Shumpert (6.2 PPG) has not faced Chicago this season, but enters this game on a real high note. After going scoreless in two straight games (0-for-9 FG combined), Shumpert dropped 18 points (7-of-10 FG, 4-of-6 threes) in Tuesday's division-clinching win over Washington. SF Chris Copeland (7.4 PPG) also made 4-of-6 threes against the Wizards, finishing with 17 points and nine boards in that win.
Chicago's offense has been horrible all season with a league-worst 92.8 PPG on 43.6% FG (5th-worst in NBA) and 5.2 made threes per game (2nd-fewest in league) on a poor 34.5% clip (7th-worst in NBA). However, this team has put up major points in its three wins versus the Knicks this season with 103.7 PPG on 48% FG and 48% threes (20-of-42). The defense remains top-notch, as the Bulls have given up just 92.5 PPG (3rd in NBA) on 44.3% FG (9th in league) and 34.7% threes (7th in NBA). Chicago is also a strong rebounding club (+2.2 RPG margin, 7th in league) and should be able to dominate a Knicks team lacking any size or depth in its frontcourt. PF Carlos Boozer (16.1 PPG, 9.5 RPG) should be the biggest beneficiary of New York's injury woes, and is certainly capable of better numbers than his 12.7 PPG and 7.7 RPG in the season series. Boozer enters this contest on quite a roll with double-doubles in nine of his past 11 games, averaging 19.1 PPG and 11.6 RPG over this span. PG Nate Robinson (12.9 PPG, 4.4 APG) has gotten more minutes recently, and he has responded with 19.7 PPG (9-of-21 threes) over his past three contests. But he hasn't been nearly as effective against his former team with a paltry 10.0 PPG on 32% FG in three meetings this season. SF Jimmy Butler (8.3 PPG) is coming off a career-high 28 points in Tuesday's loss, where he made 10-of-12 FG (3-of-3 threes) with seven rebounds and two steals. Butler has been a non-factor in this series though, with just 4.7 PPG and 4.3 RPG in the three meetings. SG Richard Hamilton (10.1 PPG) finally returned to action after missing 19 games with a back injury, but wasn't very effective in Tuesday's loss to Toronto with four points (2-of-5 FG) and one assist in 14 minutes.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senor Reporter
