The set-up: The 38-39 Chicago Bulls have won four in a row and six of eight, playing their way back into the Eastern Conference playoff field. They travel to Madison Square Garden for tonight's game against the 29-48 NY Knicks, who have dropped 10 of their last 13 and have been a playoff afterthought for quite awhile now. Chicago: The Bulls seemed ready to fall out of playoff contention but are making a late-season surge, despite trading away solid contributors like Gibson and McDermott, while also shutting down their second-leading scorer (Wade) for the season. All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler (23.9-6.2-5.5) has carried the team as of late, coming off a 39-point effort in Sunday's 117-110 win at New Orleans. He's getting help on the perimeter recently from PG Rajon Rondo, who is back in a featured role after bouncing in and out of the rotation for most of the season. Rondo just missed a triple-double with 10 points, nine rebounds and nine assists on Sunday and is averaging 15 points, 9.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists during the team's current four-game winning streak. Where has all this come from? Rondo's averaging just 7.8-5.1-6.7 on the season. NY Knicks: New York announced on Sunday that PG Rose (18.0 & 4.4 in 64 games) would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. The former MVP is a free agent this summer and is already a veteran of ACL surgery on the left knee and meniscus surgery on the right knee. He has publicly said that he wants to return next season but who knows? Along with losing Rose for the season, the Knicks have also recently begun reducing All-Star Carmelo Anthony's minutes. Anthony (22.5 & 5.9) has missed four of the last six games but is expected to play tonight. The pick: This game with the Knicks is the first of five remaining games against non-playoff teams for Chicago. Hard to argue with Chicago's recent success but the Bulls are just 15-23 SU on the road this season. New York has won the first two meetings with Chicago, taking a 117-104 win in Chicago back on Nov. 4 and posting a 104-89 win on Jan. 12 in New York. Chicago as a road favorite?? Make the Knicks a 10* play.