The Bulls have fallen from preseason championship aspirations to the verge of maybe the biggest disappointment in team history. The Cavaliers can push them over the edge while inching closer to locking down the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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SCHEDULING
The Cavaliers are still in a race with Toronto to lock down the No. 1 overall seed in the Eastern Conference, but that didn’t stop coach Tyronn Lue from sitting LeBron James on Wednesday night. The importance of The King was magnified a bit more with the Cavs dropping a 123-109 decision to the Pacers. Without James in the lineup the results haven’t been good. Dating back to last season, the Cavs are 4-14 when No. 23 is a scratch. With three full days off, James should be a go for the remainder of the year as the Cavs try to lock down the top spot.
With the playoffs in sniffing distance, the Bulls pretty much mailed it in against the banged up Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. They fell short at both ends of the court in a game they needed to have as they came out uninspired and never really threatened the Griz. It was the kind of underachieving effort that resembled the Bulls season. Now they will play out the string and look at what’s available in the lottery.
INJURIES
James was rested on Tuesday and the possibility remains that other regulars will take a blow before the postseason. However, with a couple of days between games, expect the Cavs to go all out in Chicago with top seed in the East not clinched.
Derrick Rose returned to the lineup in Memphis after missing a few games with a hyperextended elbow. The Bulls were without E’Twaun Moore with a sore hamstring and Taj Gibson due to a rib injury. It’s unlikely those two play on Saturday.
KEY MATCHUP
The Cavaliers should be well-rested after two days between games. LeBron James has received even more rest and is itching to get back on the court. James sat out Wednesday’s game in Indiana to rest and hasn’t played since the third quarter of Tuesday’s blowout win in Milwaukee. James is playing some of his best basketball all season and, although he wants to be on the court, he credits the occasional off-day for keeping his legs fresh. James has averaged 27.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 9.5 assists in his past eight games and is on pace for a record-breaking 12th consecutive season of averaging at least 25.0 points. James hasn’t missed a game against the Bulls this season and is shooting 50 percent from the field while averaging 25.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The Cavaliers have a shot at locking down the top spot in the Eastern Conference and will have a rested LeBron for the stretch haul. Chicago’s last gasp at reaching the bottom of the playoff ladder took place in a dreadful performance in Memphis. With so much on the line it was disappointing to see the Bulls take a nosedive in a game they absolutely needed to have. That effort, or lack of, tells us everything. The Bulls have mailed it in. A rested LeBron and a healthy Kyrie Irving will help the Cavs even the season series.
NBA Odds: Cleveland 105, Chicago 98
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