Cavs vs Bulls: Preview, odds, prediction and TV channel

The Cleveland Cavaliers were in a tremulous place. They were 1-1 to start their six-game road trip, and lead guard Darius Garland was nursing a sore back. With six games total in nine days the pace was grueling; many were calling for Garland to go home and rest the back, no matter what might happen the rest of the trip.

The Cavs didn’t do that, leaning on their available players and locking down four-straight opponents. That four-game win streak has become five as the Cavs then pulled out the home victory of the Brooklyn Nets. Can they continue the magic against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night?

The Cavs play the Chicago Bulls Wednesday night hoping to win their sixth straight game. What do you need to know about who is playing and how to bet?

The Chicago Bulls are skidding in the opposite direction from the Cavs, losing four-straight after rising to first in the Eastern Conference. That slide is largely due to injury absences; Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine and Javonte Green have all been missing for large chunks of the past month.

Most recently the Bulls played the Memphis Grizzlies on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, getting the doors blown off. Every team goes through rough patches in a season, but it looks like the Cavs are catching the Bulls when they’re down. Will the Bulls’ desperation for a win compel them to a victory?

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls: Odds, spread, over/under

The Cavaliers (27-18) will visit the Chicago Bulls (27-15) tonight. According to our partners over at WynnBet, the Cavs are favored by three points on the road. The over/under total is set to 218.5 points. For reference, seven of the Cavs’ last nine games went under that total, and when the Cavs blew out the COVID-ravaged Bulls in December the total went well under.

Both teams played a matinee game on Monday, part of the league’s all-day Martin Luther King Jr. Day slate. The Cavs played the Nets at home before heading to The Windy City, while the Bulls were in Memphis and then came home.

Cavs vs Bulls: Projected starting lineups, injury report

Bulls starters: Coby White, Alex Caruso, Alfonso McKinnie, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic.

Cavs starters: Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

The Bulls’ key injuries: Patrick Williams (out, wrist); Derrick Jones Jr., Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball (out, knee); Alex Caruso (probable, conditioning); Javonte Green (doubtful, groin)

The Cavaliers’ key injuries: Collin Sexton (out for season, knee); Ricky Rubio (out for season, knee); Rajon Rondo (out, hamstring); Lamar Stevens (out, knee)

Cavs vs Bulls: Prediction

After weeks and weeks of tumultuous lineups, the Cleveland Cavaliers are finally back to starting their preferred group of five. They would prefer the bench to include Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton as an ultra-dynamic backcourt, and for Lamar Stevens as a defensive forward available off the pine, but this starting group is one of the league’s most effective high-minute groups.

The Bulls are at the opposite end of the spectrum, missing both of their starting guards in Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine. They welcome back Alex Caruso after a long absence, and he will help to shore up their defense, but he is best deployed alongside an optimized lineup. By himself he probably won’t turn around the Bulls’ recent offensive woes.

A shooting center like Vucevic will stretch the Cavs’ defensively, but they have proven up to the task against a variety of opposing bigs recently. Both Mobley and Allen can move out to the perimeter, and Markkanen is playing some of his best defensive basketball of the season lately. Given the lack of threats in the backcourt it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Cavs put Okoro on DeRozan, although a larger player like Lamar Stevens would have been perfect against the wing having an All-Star caliber season.

Caruso will match up with Garland, but the way the Cavs’ point guard is playing he should be able to get free, especially given the fact that running pick-and-rolls means taking advantage of players like DeRozan and Vucevic in space.

A full-strength Bulls team would be an even matchup with the Cavs, but down multiple key pieces the Cavs look to have the advantage, even on the road. While the combination of Vucevic and DeRozan could absolutely carry this team offensively, the Cavs’ defense should hold them down enough to not only get the win, but likely to keep the number well below the under.

Prediction: Cleveland 108, Chicago 99

The Bet: Cleveland (+3.0), UNDER

Cavs vs Bulls: Where to Watch

This Central Division showdown at the top of the conference is unfortunately not going to be nationally televised, mainly because at the start of the year most assumed this would be a 13 seed playing a 9 seed. Instead, you can watch the game on your local sports station — Bally Sports Ohio for local Cavs fans, NBC Sports Chicago for fans in the Windy City — or on NBA League Pass for everyone else. The game tips off at 8:00pm ET.

Cleveland Cavaliers Upcoming Schedule

Cleveland will head home after the Bulls game to enjoy a three-game homestand that will level up in difficulty like a video game. They play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, then the New York Knicks Monday and the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday.

Then comes the soft part of their schedule, with seven of nine games against teams with losing records leading into the All-Star break. This could be the time the Cavs shoot up the standings even further, putting them in prime position to battle for a top seed down the stretch.