Chicago @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 27, 2017 ) New York 87, Chicago 92

The New York Knicks will try for their first set of consecutive wins in nearly a month when they host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. The Knicks are 3-8 since a four-game run near the middle of December but they are coming off a rare road win with Sunday's 100-96 triumph at Dallas.

"They just came back in the game again and again," Kristaps Porzingis told reporters after scoring 29 points. "They kept it close and at the end they made some good plays and some good shots and tied the game. We stayed calm, executed offensively and at the end we got a stop defensively." The Bulls' recent 10-2 stretch included a pair of wins over the Knicks at home, but they are now limping through a 1-5 swoon and struggling to get stops on the defensive end. Bobby Portis scored 22 points off the bench for the Bulls and Kris Dunn added 19 points and eight assists in Monday's 116-107 loss to Houston. Nikola Mirotic missed the contest with an illness and is day-to-day for Chicago, which allowed an averaged of 121.2 points in the last six games.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE BULLS (14-27): Dunn has displayed his talent and his inconsistency of late, scoring at least 19 points in three games this month and producing a total of 10 on 5-of-16 shooting in the other two, but he feels it is all part of the process for a young team. "I think we're definitely improving," Dunn told reporters Monday. "The chemistry is there." The chemistry will be altered soon when athletic guard Zach LaVine - who has missed the entire season while recovering from ACL surgery - makes his debut Saturday against Detroit.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (19-21): New York tried a physical approach against Dallas by leaning on big men Enes Kanter and Kyle O'Quinn, as well as the 7-3 Porzingis. "I thought we did [powerball it] with Enes and KO,” Hornacek told the media. “[Willy Hernangomez], he got in there. Our centers — KO and Enes — provided us, what, 29 points and 28 rebounds? Something like that. So we have to look at that and as we're moving forward say, 'Hey, when a team goes small, we'll just bullyball.'" Kanter, who had 18 rebounds, is shooting 65.7 percent from the floor in January.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bulls F Lauri Markkanen is averaging 17.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in five games this month.

2. Knicks F Michael Beasley sat out Sunday with a sprained ankle and he is day-to-day.

3. New York is 15-7 at home this season and has won four straight meetings with Chicago at Madison Square Garden.

PREDICTION: Knicks 110, Bulls 104