Chicago Bulls Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Predictions, Starting Lineups (2/14/24)
Can the Cleveland Cavaliers win their 18th game in the past 20 outings at home against a Chicago Bulls team that has won four of their last five games on the road? See our Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers prediction, betting picks, and in-depth game analysis below to find out!
Chicago Bulls Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction
Something has clicked for this Cleveland Cavaliers squad that wasn’t clicking last season or earlier in the ongoing 2023-24 campaign. Perhaps the temporary losses of Evan Mobley and Darius Garland allowed the Cavs to utilize different lineups that they otherwise wouldn’t have deployed. Or it could be something as simple as them starting to string together wins and riding that momentum through the past few weeks. Either way, it has been enthralling to witness.
In the past 19 games, Cleveland holds the best record (17-2), the highest net rating (+16.3), and the lowest opponent effective field goal percentage. Utter domination. The Cavaliers have also shot roughly 50% from the field and 39% from behind the arc, which, when combined with their stout defense, has made them extremely tough to beat.
These two teams faced off in mid-January, and the Cavs secured an 18-point win at home by a score of 109-91. Cleveland fired up an astonishing 57 three-pointers, knocking down just over 35% of them. While that percentage is not elite by any stretch, the Cavs got a boatload of clean looks, which should not be a shock considering Chicago allows the seventh-most wide-open (6+ feet) three-pointers to opponents. And the Bulls’ opponents have knocked down the fourth-highest three-point percentage on those looks.
Cleveland decimated the Bulls without Mobley and Garland in the last matchup. Now that they have returned to the lineup, the Cavs are one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league. Chicago’s mediocre three-point defense could cause issues, especially since it scarcely makes points up behind the arc offensively; they only rank 22nd in 3P% this season.
Chicago Bulls Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers -8.5 (-125)
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Best NBA Betting Promo Codes
Chicago Bulls Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Best Odds
As one of the hottest teams in the NBA, it should be no surprise that the Cleveland Cavaliers enter this matchup against Chicago as nine-point home favorites. The Bulls have Moneyline odds of +300 to leave Cleveland with a highly unexpected win, while the Cavs are -380 to keep their incredible streak on track. The point total holds steady at around 223.5 points, with the Over and Under boasting -110 odds.
Chicago Bulls Starting Lineup
PG: Ayo Dosunmu
SG: Coby White
SF: Alex Caruso
PF: DeMar DeRozan
C: Nikola Vucevic
Cleveland Cavaliers Starting Lineup
PG: Darius Garland
SG: Donovan Mitchell
SF: Max Strus
PF: Evan Mobley
C: Jarrett Allen
Chicago Bulls Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Injuries
Chicago recently took a big hit when it was announced that Zach LaVine would miss the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign due to a season-ending foot injury. LaVine joins Lonzo Ball (knee) as a key player who will not be able to return this year. Patrick Williams also won’t be available for this game due to a foot injury; however, he will likely return at some point this season. Additionally, Alex Caruso (toe) holds a questionable designation for this bout, so keep an eye on his availability leading up to tip-off.
After missing two of their stars (Darius Garland and Evan Mobley) for an extended period of time, the Cleveland Cavaliers finally have a (mostly) healthy roster. Dean Wade is listed as day-to-day for this game, while Ty Jerome will be out indefinitely after undergoing a minor ankle procedure in late January.
