NBA Playoff Betting – (3) Bulls at (2) Cavaliers (Game 5)

Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers (-5.5, 191 o/u)

LeBron James’ game-winning shot with no time on the clock not only tied the series between the Cleveland Cavaliers (53-29, 31-10 Home) and the Chicago Bulls (50-32, 23-18 Away), but also swung all the momentum back to the King’s side entering Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, to be played tonight at Quicken Loans Arena (7:00 PM Eastern).

Led by 25 points from James, the Cavs took back home court advantage with their 86-84 win in Chicago on Sunday. All told, five Cavaliers scored over ten points, including center Timofey Mozgov who hit double digits for the first time this series. Not all is well for Cleveland, however, as they are dealing with numerous injury problems: James rolled his ankle in the win and Kyrie Irving is dealing with tendinitis in his left knee.

“If the consideration is now, then, I mean, I should have been sitting out maybe about four games ago,” Irving told ESPN. “I just … I can’t do it. Mentally, I can’t do it. I can’t look myself in the mirror and sit on the bench or sit in the locker room while I watch my teammates go out there.”

If Chicago goes on to lose the series, the team will see Game 4 as a huge missed opportunity. The Bulls scored only 16 points in the fourth quarter and let an 11-point advantage slip away.

They surprised the Cavs in Game 1 in Cleveland, but it’s hard to think they can steal another game at the Quicken Loans Arena without power forward Pau Gasol, who missed Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury and is doubtful for Tuesday’s meeting. In his absence they’ll need more out Mike Dunleavy, who had double digit points in both Chicago wins but was held to a mere four points in Sunday’s loss.

Cleveland is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games at home against Chicago. But given the huge momentum swing in Game 4 and the fact that Gasol is doubtful, look for the Cavs to cover tonight.

Pick: Cavaliers -5.

(Photo credit: Erik Drost from United States (Kyrie Irving  Uploaded by Dudek1337) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)