On the day when most teams are playing their last game before the all-star break, we have a Central Division rivalry taking place in Cleveland as the Cavs host the Bulls. This will be the 3rd meeting of the season between the two teams, neither of the first two were competitive with Cleveland winning them by 14 and 18 points respectively. What stood out in those wins were their performances on the defensive end as they held Chicago to just 95 and 91 points. A similar effort would be welcome here, as the team looks to bounce back from a surprising 123-121 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, which snapped a 9-game win streak. The Cavs went into that game as 8.5 point favorites, but still managed to lose to an Embiid-less 76ers team. Tonight they’re 9.5 point favorites against Chicago, and after covering the spread in 5 of the last 6 home games against them, optimism will be on a high before tonight’s game.
The Bulls have actually performed well lately, covering the spread in 8 of their last 12 games overall. Losing Zach LaVine for the season hasn’t had that much of a negative impact, Chicago is just 2 games back from having a .500 record as they find themselves in 9th place in the East. The resurgence of Coby White has been big for them, his 19.4 points and 5.3 assists per game this season have made him a building block for years to come. Joining LaVine on the sidelines could also be Alex Caruso who is questionable with a toe injury, his potential absence will be felt here. Chicago is on a 6-game losing streak in head-to-head meetings, while also failing to cover in all 6 of those games. The good news is their three-point shooting has been consistent, they’ve drained at least 12 threes in 4 straight.
