Knicks Vs Bulls: Preview and lineup notes for February 22, 2026
The knicks vs bulls matchup on Sunday matters for playoff positioning: New York (36*-21) visits the United Center on February 22, 2026, hoping to firm its hold on third place while Chicago (24–33) tries to arrest an eight-game slide.
Knicks Vs Bulls — records, season series and last meeting
The season series sits tied at one apiece. When the teams last met, the Knicks beat the Bulls 128-116 on November 2, 2025; Jalen Brunson led New York with 31 points while Josh Giddey paced Chicago with 23. New York enters this game listed at 36*-21 on the ledger; the asterisk is noted in the materials as: "* Should be one more, but the Cup final was just an acid flashback. " Chicago comes in 24–33 and has lost eight straight games.
Chicago injury report and rotation notes
The Bulls list Anfernee Simons as day-to-day with a wrist injury. Zach Collins is out for the season with a toe problem, and Noa Essengue is out for the season with a shoulder injury. The likely starting five in Chicago is expected to include Josh Giddey, Anfernee Simons (20. 1 PPG), Isaac Okoro (9. 1 PPG), Matas Buzelis and Jalen Smith (10. 2 RPG). Last night, with Simons out, Guerschon Yabusele was in the starting lineup.
Bulls offensive and defensive profile, and key contributors
Chicago ranks 23rd in offensive rating at 114 and 26th in defensive rating at 118. 1. They average 116. 4 points per game, which is 11th in the league. Aussie hair model Josh Giddey leads the team, averaging 18. 4 points per game and spreading 8. 5 assists. Matas "Line Drawing Face" Buzelis averages 15 points per game and shoots 36% from three.
Knicks' recent form: Garden comeback and late-game playmakers
The Knicks are fresh off what the coverage called a fourth-quarter heist at the Garden. In that game New York opened strong, then looked dead in the water for two quarters until Jose Alvarado injected life into them. Jalen Brunson's recent 31-point outing in the last meeting with Chicago was highlighted in the preview material. The Knicks hope to ride a win into the All-Star break and wash the taste of Indiana out of their mouths.
Chicago's latest loss, bench outlook and game projection
Chicago also played at home last night, suffering a 16-point loss to Detroit that would have been uglier if not for a 34-point fourth quarter. The preview suggested the Bulls may not be playing for pride at this point, and that New York's bench should take care of business and let the starters cool their heels; the projection in the preview is Knicks by a dozen. A projection cited in the materials gives the Knicks an 82% chance to win.
Logistics: time, place and broadcast note
Date: Sunday, February 22, 2026. Time: 8 PM ET. Place: United Center, Chicago, IL. TV information was listed in the original materials but is unclear in the provided context.
Additional context and color from the preview included several running jokes and nicknames: the piece began "In a SEGABABA, " called Josh Giddey an "Aussie hair model, " and labeled Matas Buzelis with the nickname "Line Drawing Face. " The preview also referenced roster curiosities and other asides: "Another top team, another Thompson Twin, " a comment about Bridges, and a cheeky footnote about the asterisk on New York's record.
