Bulls' Undefeated Run Ends as Knicks Overwhelm Chicago 128-116

Kevin Lu

Nov 3, 2025, 02:32

Kevin Lu

Nov 3, 2025, 02:32

Updated at: Nov 3, 2025, 02:43

The Chicago Bulls' perfect start to the season came to an end Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, falling 128-116 to the New York Knicks despite eight players scoring in double figures. New York's sizzling three-point shooting—connecting on 20 triples—proved too much for Chicago to overcome as the Bulls dropped to 5-1.

The game started sluggishly for both sides, with missed shots dominating the early possessions until Josh Giddey's putback three gave the Bulls their first points. Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson combined for five quick points to build a 7-3 Knicks lead, but Nikola Vučević answered by drawing contact on the left post and converting two free throws. The teams traded blows early, with Isaac Okoro finishing a transition putback to tie it 10-10 after Chicago capitalized on a Knicks turnover.

After the first timeout, New York found its rhythm from deep. Karl-Anthony Towns hit back-to-back threes to spark a run, and though Vučević and Kevin Huerter responded with their own triples to briefly tie the game, the Knicks pulled away behind Brunson's scorching first quarter. The All-Star guard poured in 19 points in the opening frame alone, helping New York build a 34-24 lead heading into the second.

Chicago fought back in the second quarter. Jordan Clarkson opened the period with a three, but Giddey orchestrated the Bulls' response, connecting with Patrick Williams for a corner three and then finding Matas Buzelis in a similar spot to cut the deficit to 31-37.

Nov 2, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) rebounds against New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Jalen Smith sparked a remarkable run, draining two threes to trim the lead to three. After a Knicks turnover, Giddey found Smith cutting to the rim for a thunderous dunk that forced a New York timeout with Chicago trailing by just one. Smith had scored eight straight points.

Giddey continued his playmaking masterclass, dishing his fifth assist to Buzelis for a three that gave the Bulls the lead. But New York answered through Clarkson's two consecutive threes and an OG Anunoby trey while Chicago went cold from deep, missing three straight attempts. Giddey recorded his tenth assist with a spinning bank shot, and Tre Jones hit from deep to cut it to five, but Josh Hart's corner three sent the Knicks into halftime leading 68-60.

The third quarter belonged to New York. Brunson opened with another three, though Vučević kept pace by going 3-for-3 from deep. But consecutive Bulls turnovers allowed the Knicks to capitalize, with Bridges and Anunoby connecting on a fastbreak to extend the lead to nine.

New York's offensive firepower proved relentless. Despite Williams hitting a three, Brunson answered immediately from the right angle. Chicago found itself in foul trouble with more than five minutes left in the quarter, trailing by 14. The deficit swelled to 15 after Brunson stole the ball from Vučević in the paint and set up Bridges for a transition three. Anunoby knocked down another triple and forced a Jones turnover on the backcourt, converting it into a fastbreak basket that pushed the Knicks' lead to 18.

Trailing by 16 entering the fourth, the Bulls couldn't mount a serious comeback. Landry Shamet buried two straight threes—the Knicks' 19th and 20th of the night—to balloon the lead to 21. Though Chicago briefly sparked a 7-0 run when Towns sat, cutting the deficit to 12 with two minutes remaining, Brunson answered again, driving the lane and converting an and-one layup that sealed the Bulls' first loss of the season.

Bulls' Undefeated Run Ends as Knicks Overwhelm Chicago 128-116