Cavaliers vs Bulls Odds and Picks
- The Chicago Bulls host the Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday night
- Cleveland is playing the second game of a back-to-back after losing in Miami
- Find the odds, betting analysis, and prediction below
It doesn’t take much to slide down a jam-packed top of the Eastern Conference.
Just ask the Chicago Bulls: once at the top of the table, a recent five-game slide has them in fourth, looking over their shoulders at some charging upstarts.
One of the teams within striking distance, the Cleveland Cavaliers, are in town for a meaningful matchup Saturday night.
It all gets underway from the United Centre at 8pm ET, and can be seen live on NBA League Pass.
The hometown Bulls, tied for the most home wins in the conference, are 2.5-point favorites.
Cavaliers vs Bulls Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +2.5 (-110) | +130 | Ov 220.5 (-110) |
| Chicago Bulls | -2.5 (-110) | -160 | Un 220.5 (-110) |
Odds as of Mar 11 at BetMGM
Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Analysis
The Cavs have been one of the fun stories in the NBA this year. Despite getting worn down Friday night in a 117-105 loss to the Miami Heat, they’re still 10 games over .500, comfortable in the 6-spot, still a few games clear of the 7th-seeded Raptors.
Feelin' confident 🔥@dariusgarland22 | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/oWsuRYzoWC
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 12, 2022
Cleveland isn’t a high-octane offense, sitting in a tie for 24th at 106.9 points per game. Their ability to defend, however, has been a key to their success, as they lead the NBA in scoring defense, giving up just 103.5 points a night.
Offensively, they work around 1st-time all-star Darius Garland, 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year favorite Evan Mobley and fellow big man Jarrett Allen to pile up points.
Vintage Rondo dime to Evan Mobley. 🔥
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 12, 2022
Coming off a monster 41-point bomb against the Pacers, Garland had 24 points and 10 assists against the Heat, but he didn’t shoot it well, going just 4-for-17 from the field and 1-for-6 from deep, while committing seven turnovers.
Mobley added 19 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Quietly, veteran Kevin Love is providing stability and some offensive punch off the bench. He had 11 points and eight rebounds against the Heat.
Chicago Bulls Betting Analysis
It was a harsh reality check for Chicago, who got a look at the some of the heavies in the NBA, and failed to come away with any wins.
They lost five straight to legit-good squads: Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. In fact, the only winnable game for them was against Atlanta, and the Hawks hung 130 on them in a loss.
It didn't matter who the Pistons put on DeMar DeRozan, he wasn't going to be stopped:
◻️ 36 PTS
◻️ 8 REB
◻️ 4 ASTChicago outduels Detroit 114-108.
🎥 @chicagobullspic.twitter.com/H43TTTiKky
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) March 10, 2022
In all, the Bulls, surrendered an average of 119.4 points per game during that stretch, a mark that would rank dead last in the NBA.
Some relief came to them last time out though, as they busted the slump with a 114-108 in Detroit against the lowly Pistons.
DeMar DeRozan, a top-4 candidate in the 2022 NBA MVP odds, led the way with 36 points and eight rebounds, doing much of his damage in money time, pouring in 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Alex Caruso practiced fully today.
When asked about a target return date:
“We’re close.” pic.twitter.com/c2r6ZPSDQ0
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 11, 2022
Zach LaVine had 25 points and five boards, while Nikola Vucevic chipped in with 21 points and six boards.
The win didn’t come without some setbacks, as several of the Bulls ended up on the injury report.
LaVine (knee), Vucevic (hamstring) and Ayo Dosunmu (hip) — three of their starters — will all be game-time decisions. They’re still waiting on Lonzo Ball (knee) and Patrick Williams (wrist). Some potential good news: Alex Caruso, down with an wrist injury, could make his return Saturday.
Cavaliers vs Bulls Prediction
This will be the third of four meetings between these teams this year, with each team winning at home so far. The Bulls are a sparkling 24-10 at the United Center, and they own an NBA-best 22-12 home record against the spread.
Cleveland has been competitive on the second night of a back-to-back, going 6-5 straight up and 4-5-2 ATS.
With the Bulls struggling against the better teams of late, this would be a prime position to pick a Cavs upset, but they limp into this one too. Allen (wrist) and Caris LeVert (foot) won’t be available Saturday night.
Look for the Bulls to capture their second straight.
The pick: Bulls ML (-160)
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Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
