Predicting how the Cleveland Cavaliers will do against the Central Division

How the Cavs stack up against the Bulls

The Chicago Bulls, who were 22-60 in 2018-19 (per NBA.com), have a team that could be much improved if everything comes together for them in 2019-20.

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Chicago has a player that could vie for an All-Star bid next year in guard Zach LaVine, who had 23.7 points on 57.4% true shooting, to go with 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in 2018-19 (per Basketball Reference).

The Cleveland Cavaliers will have their hands full trying to slow down LaVine in coming years, and I’d think Porter, who could emerge as the Cavs’ best perimeter defender, could get some minutes matched up on the Bulls’ multifaceted wing.

As we’ve touched on previously, matchups in coming years between the likes of Darius Garland and Bulls’ rookie Coby White feasibly for long stretches should be really fun to watch, and I’d think both could fill it up in meetings between their two squads.

White, like Garland, is a player that could be a tough cover with the way he can create his own offense, and some action between Collin Sexton and heady new Chicago guard Tomas Satoransky is another one that could turn out to go either way in games.

With the way Satoransky can penetrate and get others involved, to go with the shot-making of White now in the rotation, I’d expect the Bulls to be much improved in the three-point shooting department (they were last in the NBA in three-pointers made per game, per NBA.com).

In addition, Cedi Osman might have trouble with Otto Porter Jr., a really smart wing defender, mirroring him a good amount (along with feasibly Windler), and Chicago center Wendell Carter Jr. is a player that could give the Cavaliers problems with his post-up play and ability to carve out space for others.

Carter had 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in his rookie year last year, but a reported thumb injury ended his campaign after just 44 games, per the Chicago Tribune staff.

Can Chicago get more of Carter next season? If so, that’ll be very difficult for players such as John Henson, Tristan Thompson and Ante Zizic to account for while also likely having to help on Chicago’s perimeter threats.

Another tough wrinkle Chicago will now have that has historically killed the Cavaliers is free agent addition Thaddeus Young, a player that as was touched on before, has defended Kevin Love very well with being physical, and having enough discipline to stay attached and not concede spot-ups which Love cans effortlessly.

I’d expect Love and Bulls talented inside-out big Lauri Markkanen to trade three-point shots a number of times throughout these four games, too. Markkanen is a really tough cover with the way he can fill it up with touch and as a cutter inside the arc, and with how he can hit from deep; he had 18.7 points on 55.3% true shooting and 9.0 rebounds per game last year (per Basketball Reference), and I’d imagine even an intelligent defender in Nance could be in for some rough nights against Markkanen.

Markkanen’s health has been a big issue in his young career, though, as he missed 23 games over 10 weeks dating back to last training camp from an elbow sprain, and he missed the season’s last 10 games due to a rapid heart rate problem, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Mark Strotman.

Markkanen has only been active in 68 and 52 games, respectively, in his first two years, and his health will be a crucial element as to how the Bulls’ season plays out, just as Love’s health will be crucial to the Cavs’ ability to feasibly compete in games.

The 2019-20 Cavs’ record prediction against the Bulls: 2-2

I’d expect these two teams, which both have some good young talent, but will both likely mightily struggle defensively, to split the season meetings 2-2. Cleveland was last in the NBA in defensive rating in 2018-19, and Chicago was 25th (per NBA.com), so expect plenty of big individual performances in these matchups from both teams.