Cavaliers Hope To Keep Bulls Down
The Chicago Bulls have been seriously struggling to win games lately. Near the end of February, Chicago held a 39-21 overall record.
Since then, they have fallen all the way down to 42-31, the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers are also in a funk.
They were 35-21 at one point in the season but after losses on Monday and Thursday, are now 6-11 in their last 17 games. However, they still stand one game behind the Bulls in the conference standings.
Neither team wants to slip down into the play-in tournament, so a win would be crucial for both squads here. Let’s take a closer look at this NBA game betting preview and see which side is the best option if you betonline.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports, and NBA odds for Chicago Bulls vs Cleveland Cavaliers. We have plenty of predictions for you to consider.
Injuries Holding Bulls Back
They have luckily gotten a lot of their pieces back to the roster over the last few weeks, yet Chicago is still struggling.
Why? Well, that’s because Lonzo Ball still isn’t healthy. The guard was averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for the team before suffering a torn meniscus.
In the games that Ball was healthy, the Bulls were 27-12. As you might expect from their record now, they have dramatically dropped without him. Ball won’t be available for this game either, so Chicago will need to look elsewhere to pull out a win.
DeMar DeRozan is going to be that go-to guy in this one. The former Toronto Raptor and San Antonio Spur has averaged 27.6 points per game with a number of game winning shots.
With a game of this magnitude expected to go down to the wire, DeRozan will be called upon down the stretch.
Cavaliers Physicality Being Questioned
Cleveland has been one of the most surprising teams in the league this season but lately they haven’t been performing like they should defensively.
A lot of that comes from a lack of physicality at times. After surrendering 131 points to the troubled Los Angeles Lakers then allowing the Raptors to hit 16 three-pointers in their last two games, Cleveland is hoping to learn from their mistakes.
The Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said this when asked about the team’s poor defense lately, “There’s no remedy for it until you’re hit in the face. We have to learn from it. You have a choice of fighting or running. Our guys don’t run. We’ll lay it out there.”
The Cavaliers are certainly needing a win or else they might slip into the seventh seed and the play-in tournament.
Bulls vs. Cavaliers Head-to-Head
The Cavaliers and the Bulls have locked horns three times this season. The Bulls currently hold the lead in the season series 2-1, with all three games having been decided by 10 or more points.
Bulls vs. Cavaliers Game Information
- Game: Chicago Bulls (42-31) at Cleveland Cavaliers (41-32)
- Location: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH
- Day/Time: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET
- Live Stream: NBA League Pass
Bulls vs. Cavaliers Betting Lines
Bulls vs. Cavaliers Prediction
The Bulls are listed as one-point underdogs in the sportsbook. This isn’t too surprising considering the horrible slide that they have been on lately without Ball in the lineup.
Given how all three games have been decided by 10 or more points, it is worth thinking that a similar outcome could come here. Unfortunately for Chicago, they may be on the losing end in this one.
They are currently 4-19 on the season when going up against Top 10 teams in the league. Cleveland may not be considered a Top 10 roster this season, but they are no slouch and could be yet another team with a winning record that gets the better of the Bulls.
Not to mention that the Cavaliers are going to want to prove to their coaches that their physicality and defense are still intact. They seem like a far safer option for NBA picks.
