Bulls fall 133-127 to Knicks after fourth-quarter slide

Chicago, Illinois. The Chicago Bulls surrendered a 19-point lead in the second half and lost 133-127 to the New York Knicks at the United Center on Wednesday, October 28. The defeat snapped the Bulls’ momentum late in the game and left them with one win and four losses on the 2026-27 season.

The Knicks dominated the final period, outscoring the hosts 43-31. New York erased a large deficit to take control in the fourth quarter. The Bulls led 96-90 entering the final period but could not hold onto the advantage as New York surged.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 38 points and seven assists. He created scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates during Chicago’s defensive lapses. Brunson hit a three-pointer with 1:39 left that extended the New York lead to 130-122. Jordan Clarkson added 18 points, including a turnaround jumper during the late run. OG Anunoby scored 23 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 19 points and 13 rebounds. Landry Shamet contributed 14 points for the visitors.

Norman Powell led the Bulls with 30 points on 10 of 15 shooting. Rookie Caleb Wilson scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds. Matas Buzelis and center Jalen Smith each finished with 17 points. Smith also recorded 11 rebounds. Josh Giddey provided 10 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds for Chicago.

The Bulls built their lead after halftime. An 18-3 run pushed Chicago ahead by 19 points. Powell scored 14 points in the third quarter to fuel that stretch. Tre Jones hit a shot from near midcourt at the halftime buzzer to send the Bulls into the locker room with a 62-56 lead. The teams tied the third quarter at 34 points apiece, leaving the Bulls ahead 96-90.

Chicago’s offense performed well for much of the night. The team shot 18 of 42 from three-point range, a 42.9 percent clip. Players made open shots and moved the ball effectively. However, the defense failed to stop New York’s late attack. The Bulls allowed 43 points in the final quarter, which decided the game.

With 46 seconds remaining, the Bulls cut the deficit to 130-127. Powell missed a three-point attempt from that possession. Brunson and Anunoby then made three free throws to seal the victory for New York. The loss follows a rough start for the Bulls, who lost to Toronto, Washington, and Boston earlier in the month. They beat Milwaukee 132-125 on October 23 and lost to Boston 134-99 on October 26.

The Bulls faced the Boston Celtics on Friday, October 30, at TD Garden. That game came four days after the 134-99 loss to the Celtics. The Knicks’ victory extended Chicago’s struggles with protecting leads against top-tier Eastern Conference teams.