Cavs-Bulls: Starters, betting info, injuries and TV channel for March 26

Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Thursday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors for the Cleveland Cavaliers was suboptimal, considering where the two are in the Eastern Conference standings, with now having identical records at 41-32. The Cavaliers do still own the head-to-head tiebreaker with a record of 3-1 this season versus the Raptors, but Cleveland will have to match what Toronto does the rest of the way.

Other clubs behind both in the standings such as the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks would all make for tough potential play-in opponents, too.

It’s not going to be easy for the Cavaliers from here to clinch a set postseason berth; either way, they still are more than capable, and can bounce back from Thursday’s L, and Monday’s one to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cavs did have a quality prior week of games, too.

Next up for Cleveland is their last regular season meeting with the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, who Cleveland is 1-2 against thus far this season.

The Cavs have another big game down the seasons’ stretch run on Saturday night versus the Bulls. So what do you need to know, and how to bet?

Between the Cavs and Bulls, they’ve had ups and downs since the All-Star break, and both have dealt with their share of injuries throughout the season, with Jarrett Allen being out recently for Cleveland, and DeMar DeRozan sustaining injury for Chicago.

Regardless, both teams have been 3-5 in their last eight games, and have been off defensively. The injuries/some lack of chemistry hasn’t helped either teams’ cause, in fairness, but the Cavs and Bulls need to get back on track from here, objectively.

Both clubs will have to push forward, and on Saturday night, both sides have to play with all the more sense of urgency.

From the Cavaliers’ perspective, hopefully they have added energy playing at home in this one.

Cavaliers-Bulls: Betting info

According to our partners at WynnBet, the Cavs are favored by 2.0 here at the moment. The over/under total for both in this contest is set to be 222.0.

The over/under individually for Cleveland is set to be 112.5, and for Chicago that’s 110.5.

Cavaliers-Bulls: Projected starters and injury report

Bulls starters: Alex Caruso/Ayo Dosunmu, Zach LaVine/Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan/Zach LaVine, Javonte Green, Nikola Vucevic

Cavs starters: Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Lamar Stevens, Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley

Bulls injuries: Lonzo Ball (out, knee); Marko Simonivic (out, G League-on assignment); Tyler Cook and Malcolm Hill (out, G League-two-way); DeMar DeRozan (probable, groin); Alex Caruso (probable, back).

Cavs injuries: Jarrett Allen (out, finger); Dean Wade (out, knee); Collin Sexton (out for season, knee); Rajon Rondo (out, ankle).

Cavs-Bulls: Prediction

For the Cavaliers, in the event that DeRozan is playing, which is what most likely plays out here, they’ll need to find ways to deter mid-range looks from him, mix in some doubles on the first dribble to help Okoro/Stevens, and get back in transition. That’s been an issue of late.

Chicago’s defense with Caruso at the point of attack against the Cavaliers, in particular, has helped them get out and run from that pressure, and the Cavs and Garland/Caris LeVert can’t be overdribbling in this one.

That was an issue in Cleveland’s last loss at Chicago involving Garland and at times, others, and while Cleveland’s defense was better in that one overall, they need to be patient offensively, and move it, whereas hopefully guys such as Markkanen and Kevin Love can get more looks to go down than at Toronto.

Now, Cleveland has not played LaVine in their last two games against the Bulls, so that’s a different element added in here, and if DeRozan and Caruso both play, which seems likely, the Cavs closeouts need to be more timely to shooters here.

And on the other end, the Cavaliers need to get cutters involved, generate free throws throughout to maintain their rhythm, and make guys like LaVine and DeRozan work hard defensively.

If the Cavaliers can have a more productive first half than they’ve had in their past handful of games, they could be in much better shape here down the stretch.

I could be off in thinking this, but I expect that to play out in this one, and with this being a second half team, I think at home, they’ll find ways to grind this out. Markkanen, Love and Cedi Osman are more on-point at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and the Cavs win by give-or-take, a couple of possessions.

As a result, if this plays out, Cleveland would move up to #5 in the East based on division record.

Prediction: Cavs 111, Bulls 106

The Bet: Cavs (-2), UNDER

Cavaliers-Bulls: Where to watch

For fans subscribed and in-market, this last regular season matchup between Cleveland and Chicago will be on Bally Sports Ohio and NBC Sports Chicago.

For fans out of market, or not with those options in-market, NBA League Pass, for fans subscribed, will have this one.

Cavs upcoming schedule:

After this Bulls game on Saturday night, the Cavaliers will have another two home games versus the Orlando Magic on Monday night and then the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

Orlando is a group that has seen growth from young players over the course of the season, but they’re a ways away from competing in the East, whereas Dallas is a club that could be a fringe-contender in the Western Conference. They’ve been one of the league’s best teams post-All-Star break, also.

From there, the Cavaliers will take on the Atlanta Hawks on the road on Thursday night, in what will be the second leg of a back-to-back. That’s a make-up game from much earlier in the season when the Cavs were dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak within the team. Atlanta is fighting to stay in the thick of the play-in mix, but as they’ve gotten healthier, they’ve looked to be gaining some momentum, and offensively, they’re loaded.