Chicago Bulls: Toughest home test of the season yet is here

Second-year head coach Billy Donovan is off to a hot start with the Chicago Bulls this season. The Bulls are the lone remaining undefeated team in the Eastern Conference at this point of the season, carrying a record of 4-0 following a very close win over the Toronto Raptors on the road at Scotiabank Arena on the night of Oct. 25.

That win over the Raptors was the closest so far this season for Donovan and the Bulls. It came by the narrow margin of 111-108 after standout Raptors point guard Fred VanFleet missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter.

Yet, the Bulls are going to have to pull themselves together after a near-collapse loss against the Raptors. The Bulls are set to return home to the United Center to face former Chicago head coach Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks on the night of Oct. 28.

Facing the longtime rival Knicks is going to be the biggest test at home that the Bulls have taken on so far this regular season. Taking on the Raptors on the road proved to be a challenge, but the Knicks do bring a stronger roster to the table than Toronto.

Billy Donovan and Chicago Bulls have a challenging home test vs. Knicks on Oct. 28

A win over the 3-1 Knicks at home on this night would prove that the Bulls are one of the top contenders in the East this season. This would also give the team a major confidence boost as it heads into the most difficult stretch of the early-season schedule.

Facing the Knicks is just the beginning of a long stretch of difficult opponents for Donovan and the Bulls. The Bulls got it easy to start the season by facing a shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans team at home and the Detroit Pistons in two games to begin the regular season slate.

In the next three weeks alone, the Bulls have to face the likes of the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, and the Denver Nuggets.

Taking on the Knicks at home actually sounds pretty nice compared to traveling to face the Warriors, Clippers, Nuggets, etc.

This is where getting a big win at home over a key foe in the Knicks can help to establish the type of confidence and momentum that the Bulls need heading into this difficult stretch of the schedule. A 4-0 start can easily be ruined if the Bulls catch a losing streak in this upcoming stretch of difficult games.

The Bulls come into this meeting with the Knicks as narrow 1.5-point favorites at home. Tip-off time between the Bulls and Knicks is set for 7 p.m. CT at the United Center on Oct. 28.