Three Takeaways From Knicks Close Win Over Bulls

The New York Knicks picked up their second straight win, beating a shorthanded Chicago Bulls team 105-99 at the United Center. It was not pretty, but with the All-Star break just behind them, New York is finding ways to win.

Karl Anthony Towns led all scorers with 28 points and 11 rebounds, his NBA-leading 39th double-double. Jalen Brunson added 19 points and nine assists, while Landry Shamet chipped in 16 off the bench.

Chicago was without Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons, two guards picked up at the trade deadline, and were riding a nine-game losing streak coming in. The Bulls got 15 points from Matas Buzelis, but this was a shorthanded team with nothing to play for.

New York also played this on the second night of a back-to-back, a night after rallying from 18 down to beat Houston 108-106. Mitchell Robinson sat for ankle management, so neither side was fully healthy going in. Still, the Knicks got the job done. And within a messy win, there were three things worth paying attention to.

Karl-Anthony Towns Is Silencing the Noise

Feb 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives to the basket tagainst the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The criticism around Towns has been hard to miss lately. Charles Barkley called him a nice guy who lacks a killer's mentality. Blake Griffin declared the Knicks cannot win a title with his defensive effort. It has been loud.

What made these last two games different is that Towns looked genuinely locked in from the opening tip. He was not drifting to the arc or floating through possessions. He was aggressive inside, active on the glass, and involved early in a way that has not always been the case this season.

Towns acknowledged the pressure he plays under after the game, saying he has always been held to a higher standard and understands that criticism comes with the territory when things are not going well. That kind of self-awareness, backed up by back-to-back strong performances, is exactly what this team needs from him heading into the second half of the season.

Brunson Is Becoming a Two-Way Problem for Opponents

Feb 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) warms up before an NBA game against the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Brunson's offense was never the question. The 19 points and nine assists here were consistent with what he does every night. What has quietly changed is what he brings on the other end, and it is starting to matter.

Brunson's defense has quietly started to make a real impact. Drawing charges, running guys off the line, staying in front of ball handlers - he is doing the little things that do not show up in the box score but change games.

They stop momentum, create extra possessions and shift the energy of a game in moments where it counts most.

The night before against Houston, a charge he drew on Amen Thompson in the fourth quarter helped flip an 18-point deficit into a win. He carried that same defensive energy into Chicago. When Brunson is making plays on both ends, this Knicks team looks like a different animal.

A Nine-Game Losing Streak Opponent Almost Beat New York

Here is what should stick with Knicks fans after this one. With under four minutes left, Chicago led 95-94. A Bulls team missing two of its better guards, playing out the string, nearly pulled it off against a legitimate Eastern Conference contender.

Towns' clutch scoring run and a Mikal Bridges three bailed New York out. Without those plays, this road trip ends very differently. The back-to-back context is fair, but it does not fully explain a margin that tight against a team actively tanking.

The Knicks are third in the East and have real playoff aspirations. Opponents like this Bulls group need to be handled more convincingly. They head to Cleveland next, where close calls will not be an option.

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