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The Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Chicago Bulls in a potential Eastern Conference first-round matchup on Saturday night. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Cavaliers-Bulls prediction, odds, and pick we have laid out below.
Cleveland is coming off a 117-105 loss to the no. 1 seeded Miami Heat on Friday. All-Star guard Darius Garland led the team with 24 points and 10 assists, his 20th double-double this season. Rookie big man Evan Mobley also had a strong outing, finishing with his 18th double-double of the campaign with 19 points and 12 rebounds. The Cavs have lost seven of their last 10 games and have dropped to 6th in the playoff picture.
Meanwhile, the Bulls just got a much-needed victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. That snapped a five-game losing streak that saw them drop to 4th in the East standings. Chicago's Big Three all had strong outings, with DeMar DeRozan leading the way with 36 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Fellow All-Star Zach LaVine scored 25 points, while Nikola Vucevic chipped in 21 points of his own.
Cleveland and Chicago have split the season series so far. The Cavs won the first game in early December, 115-92, while the Bulls took the second in mid-January, 117-104.
Here is how FanDuel has set the Cavaliers-Bulls NBA odds for this Saturday night NBA matchup.
NBA Odds: Cavaliers–Bulls Odds
Cleveland Cavaliers: +5.5 (-114)
Chicago Bulls: -5.5 (-106)
Over: 223.5 (-110)
Under: 223.5 (-110)
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Why the Cavaliers could cover the spread
The Cavaliers are one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this 2021-22 season. Apart from being 38-28, they've gone 36-26 against the spread, which is one of the better records in the league this year. Unlike in previous seasons, Cleveland has also shown it can hang with some of the best teams in the NBA. They hold an even 17-17 record against teams over .500.
Cleveland has been dealing with the injury bug all season. Jarrett Allen was diagnosed with a fractured finger and is out indefinitely. Apart from Collin Sexton, who has been ruled out of the season since November, Caris LeVert is still dealing with a foot injury. Rajon Rondo, meanwhile, has played two games since returning from a five-game absence earlier this week. It also helps the Cavs that the Bulls are going through several injuries of their own, so they could take advantage of that fact and eke out a win in Chicago.
All-Star guard Darius Garland has been on fire since getting past his back issue a couple of weeks ago. Over the last five games, Garland is averaging 28.2 points and 11.2 assists while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three. Rookie of the Year favorite Evan Mobley has also upped his production ever since Allen's unfortunate finger fracture. Mobley has tallied double-doubles in each of the three games Jarrett wasn't on the floor, including the game he got injured in which he only played 10 minutes. Over that stretch, the former USC star is averaging 20.3 points and 13.7 rebounds.
Going up against a veteran Heat squad is a tall order for a young duo like Garland and Mobley. Nonetheless, the two have shown all season long they can step up when needed.
Why the Bulls could cover the spread
Like the Cavs, Chicago has one of the better ATS records in the NBA at 37-29. DeMar DeRozan has been Chicago's brightest spot this season. The 32-year old is averaging 28.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, and currently finds himself in the top-five in the latest edition of the NBA's Kia MVP Ladder.
Surprisingly so, both teams have yet to win on each other's home floor in the season series so far. Nonetheless, the Bulls have been one of the better home teams in the East with a 24-10 record. They've unfortunately lost their previous two at home, which came against two of the best teams in the league in the surging Memphis Grizzlies and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.
As earlier mentioned, the Bulls have been going through a rough patch with injuries. Lonzo Ball is still out with a torn left meniscus. Alex Caruso (wrist fracture) is reportedly “close” to a return and has been listed as questionable heading into this game. Zach LaVine also has a questionable tag with a sore knee. While he did deal with knee issues heading into the All-Star break, LaVine has played in all of Chicago's games since the February intermission. Ayo Dosunmu (left adductor strain) and Nikola Vucevic (right hamstring strain) are both listed as probable on the Bulls' injury report.
The Bulls will need another huge effort from DeRozan if they are going to cover this 5.5-point spread. And of course, they'll need LaVine and Vucevic to suit up as well.
Final Cavaliers–Bulls Prediction & Pick
Both teams are entering with their respective injuries and have struggled as of late, as a result. But it seems like the Bulls would be the safer bet here. They have rarely lost at home this season and DeMar DeRozan is playing at as high a level as anyone can right now. But do keep an eye out on LaVine and Vucevic's status prior to tip-off, as their availability could swing the fences here for Chicago.
Final Cavaliers–Bulls Prediction & Pick: Bulls: -5.5 (-110)
