King James Gospel
Fansided

Predicting the Cavs’ record against divisional rivals

By Doug Patrick

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - APRIL 20: Larry Nance Jr. #22 and Rodney Hood #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers box out Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers in Game Three of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - APRIL 20: Larry Nance Jr. #22 and Rodney Hood #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers box out Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers in Game Three of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 4: Robin Lopez #42 of the Chicago Bulls and Jose Calderon #81 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk before the game on December 4, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 4: Robin Lopez #42 of the Chicago Bulls and Jose Calderon #81 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk before the game on December 4, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Chicago Bulls: 3-1

Against Jabari Parker, the Chicago Bulls’ highest-profile signing this summer who believes it doesn’t pay in the NBA to play defense, Kevin Love could have some good days.

This isn’t to say that the Cavs three wins to one will come easily. The Chicago Bulls are stacked with young talent. However, the Cavs seem to have the right players to neutralize some of these developing players.

Zach LaVine returned last season from a torn ACL before also having problems with his knee. He appeared in only 24 games. Still, even after these issues, I wouldn’t rule out the 23-year-old’s ability to be an explosive offensive player.

At only 6-foot-5, the Cavs could not only throw a tenacious Sexton at him but they could also use Nwaba, with a 7-foot wingspan and a 6-foot-8 Osman to slow him down.

Cleveland also carries a number of wingers and guards who could attack a less defensively-inclined LaVine as well. With slashers like Sexton, Hood and even Jordan Clarkson, the Cavs could make life difficult for LaVine on both sides of the ball.

All-Rookie Lauri Markkanen has quickly become a cornerstone of Chicago’s rebuild. As a 7-footer with a buttery three-point shot (36.2 percent), he fits perfectly into Fred Hoiberg’s uptempo offense. The Cavs lack any body big enough to truly match up with Markkanen’s height, save for Ante Zizic—but I don’t think a Zizic-Markkanen matchup will lead to much Cavalier success.

There’s a chance Markkanen could torch Cleveland in the high-post and from beyond the arc.

Moreover, a combo of him, Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine could spell trouble for Cleveland’s frontcourt, opening up the floor for LaVine.

But Cavs like Thompson and Love could punish Markkanen on the glass. Although he possesses incredible height, he so far lacks the strength to be a consistent rebounder. He averaged 7.5 rebounds last season.

Against a Love-Thompson tandem, he and Portis may lose that battle on the boards.

Kris Dunn is also an intriguing member of the Bulls, who seemed to find some rhythm with the team at the beginning of last year. He scored a career-high 32 points against the Mavericks in January.

However, the third-year guard also averaged 2.9 turnovers per game. The Cavs have competent point guard defenders in George Hill and Sexton who could exploit some of Dunn’s looseness.

Look for the Bulls to be a fun, fast-paced team this upcoming season but look for them to exhibit bouts of inconsistency, too. So long as Markkanen doesn’t go crazy, the Cavs should find themselves on the winning end of this matchup.