The Cleveland Cavaliers have fallen out of first place in the Eastern Conference with only a handful of games remaining on the schedule. They would very much like to re-capture the spot ahead of the Boston Celtics but must play much better down the stretch. That includes a game this week against the Chicago Bulls.
While the Bulls are under .500 on the season, they have dominated against the Cavaliers this season and badly need a victory as they fight for the playoffs. LeBron James injured his back earlier this week in San Antonio, and if he misses this game or is slowed it will have a huge impact.
If James can play near or at full strength, the Cavaliers should be favored, but they are on some shaky ground right now.
This war on the floor will go down Thursday, March 30, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The game will be televised live on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Bulls are 35-39 straight up and 37-37 against the spread. Chicago has played in 37 home games on the season and covered in 18 of them. The Bulls have gone 25-18 against the spread as the underdog on the season. If James doesn’t play they could be the favorite. Chicago is 12-17 against the spread as the favorite on the year.
The Cavs are 47-26 straight up and 32-39-2 against the spread. Cleveland has gone on the road 37 times this season, covering in 15 of them. The Cavaliers are 29-30-2 against the spread as the favorite and has only covered three times in 12 attempts as the underdog.
Previous Meetings
Chicago has had Cleveland’s number so far this season, defeating the Cavs in all three previous meetings this year. The Bulls won the first matchup on December 2nd by a score of 111-105 then defeated the Cavs on January 4th, 106-94 and on on February 25th, 117-99.
It’s important to note that the Cavaliers were without leading scorer James in the last matchup between these teams and were short-handed in the first one as well. Still, the Cavaliers will be hungry for a win in this matchup, especially with things so tight atop the Eastern Conference right now.
Chicago has gone 5-10 since the two teams last meeting on February 25th and sit a half-game out of the eighth seed in the East.
Player to Watch
James -- The Cavaliers’ superstar is averaging a triple-double in the month of march with 28 points , 13 rebounds and 10 assists. However, he went down when he was hit in the back in a blowout loss to San Antonio.
James finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists against the Spurs as he had to leave in the third quarter. James leads the team in points, assists and steals this season and had 38 points recently against Atlanta so it’s hard to understate his impact.
Behind the 13-time NBA All Star, the Cavaliers are averaging 110.5 points per game. Despite the previous losses to Chicago, James has played will against the Bulls this year, putting up a combined 58 points in the two games he appeared in this season.
Free NBA ATS Pick
James’ availability is the big question. The Bulls are without Dwyane Wade due to injury so they will be short-handed, and his former running mate is also in doubt after the back injury. Keep an eye on James’ health closely.
If he can play, the Cavaliers should be able to pick up this road win. If not, Chicago should come out on top and hand Cleveland another big loss as they sink in the standings. The thinking is James plays and helps his team secure a gigantic victory.
NBA Odds: Cavaliers 103, Bulls 98
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
