NEW YORK, NY — Coming into the 2025–2026 NBA season, the expectations for these two teams were polar opposites yet the results were flipped Friday night, as the New York Knicks fell to the Chicago Bulls 135–125 on the road.
Even with their full roster available for the first time with Mitchell Robinson making his season debut and Miles McBride and Guerschon Yabusele returning to the rotation, the Knicks couldn’t overcome a slow start and poor defense against a young, hungry Bulls team.
The loss capped a winless three-game road trip for New York, dropping its record to 2–3 on the season. What began as an exciting 2–0 start has quickly turned into frustration and second-guessing.
In his 20 minutes of action, Robinson immediately made his presence felt, winning the opening tip, dominating the glass, and creating second-chance opportunities. The seven-footer finished with a game-high 11 rebounds (six offensive), along with four points and two assists, showing why he remains one of the league’s premier rebounders.
Jalen Brunson continued his early-season brilliance with another standout performance, finishing with 29 points and seven assists. OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns each added over 20 points, but even scoring 125 wasn’t enough which should’ve been plenty.
After starting off 2-0 on the young 2025-2026 NBA regular season, the Knicks dropped their third game in a row Friday night in Chicago – Image Credit: NBA
Despite the offensive efficiency, Mike Brown’s team couldn’t get stops when it mattered.
Coming off arguably his worst performance as a Knick, Towns delivered a solid outing while still battling a Grade 2 quad strain. He posted 22 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 6-of-14 from the field and 1-of-5 from three. However, in the final minute, Towns went 0-of-3 from deep as New York’s comeback attempt fell short the closest the Knicks cut the lead was three.
The Knicks jumped out to a 14–7 lead early, but the momentum didn’t last. Chicago’s young core and fast pace quickly took over, exploiting New York’s defense in transition and off the ball. The Bulls closed the first quarter on a 28–13 run to take a 35–27 lead and never looked back.
Brown, in his first season coaching the Knicks, has emphasized improving New York’s pace of play, but ironically, it was the Bulls who executed the up tempo style he’s been preaching. The Knicks currently rank 23rd in pace a slight uptick from last season’s 26th ranking, but still far from Brown’s target.
Their defensive issues worsened in the second quarter as New York had no answer for Josh Giddey, whose breakout start has fueled Chicago’s perfect 5–0 record. Giddey poured in 21 first-half points and finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists—one shy of a triple-double.
He’s led the Bulls to their best start since the 1996–97 season.
After the game, Giddey credited his comfort in Chicago:
“Confidence. Being in a place where I’m wanted. I love being here that’s what you need as a player.”
The Knicks showed signs of life in the third quarter, tightening their rotations and finding rhythm offensively behind Towns and Bridges. They outscored Chicago 38–29 in the first 12 minutes of the second half, cutting the deficit to single digits after a 26–9 run fueled by sharper ball movement and tempo.
Jalen Brunson has scored 29 or more points in each of his last four games, dating back to October 24th vs. Boston – Image Credit: NBA
But each time New York built momentum, the Bulls answered and their bench dominance (42–13) proved to be the difference maker. Even with the team losing, seeing them being able to go on a run during the time Brunson was on the bench has to be something positive the coach can take away to build on.
Bridges played 38 minutes, finishing with 23 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Outside of Brunson, he’s been New York’s most consistent performer this season. After facing heavy criticism last year, Bridges is quietly proving himself night after night, as one might say, “the love should be just as loud as the hate.”
Brunson led a late push, cutting the lead to four with just under four minutes remaining. But once again, Chicago responded this time through Nikola Vučević, who delivered back-to-back buckets, including a dagger three-pointer over Towns that pushed the lead back to double digits.
A missed defensive assignment by Towns on that play proved costly, though the team’s overall defensive effort was equally to blame.
New York allowed 54 points in the paint, and at times felt like the Bulls could get a layup whenever they wanted. With Robinson still regaining conditioning in his return, the Knicks lacked their usual rim protection.
Mitchell Robinson made his 2025-2026 NBA regular season debut Friday night as the Knicks fell to the Bulls by a final of 135-125 – Image Credit: NBA
This new era under Mike Brown was always going to come with growing pains. Between Brown overhauling the offensive and defensive systems, injuries to key rotation players, and the retirement of expected backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon, the adjustment period was inevitable though few expected it to look this rough.
After the game, Brown kept it blunt:
“It’s real simple tonight. We lacked the physicality we want to have and have had. We were getting blown by possession after possession. There was no help, either.”
Brown didn’t make excuses for the team’s slow start, saying the group understands the expectations. With an Eastern Conference seemingly wide open, the standard remains NBA Finals or bust.
“We’ve lost three in a row,” Brown added. “We’ve hit some adversity early. I’m interested to see how we respond.”
The Knicks will look to regroup as they return home for a seven-game homestand at Madison Square Garden. Their next matchup? A quick rematch against these same Bulls Sunday in the Big Apple with a chance for redemption and to finally steady the early-season turbulence.
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