Central Division rivals square off in an Eastern Conference semifinal when the No. 3 Chicago Bulls (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) visit the No. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) Monday in Game One. You can watch the game live on TNT.
After dismantling Milwaukee 120-66 in a first-round series-clinching win Thursday, the Chicago Bulls have an opportunity against the shorthanded Cavaliers to get a jump in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Bulls put it all together in the third-largest win in NBA playoff history ending any suspense in their first-round series.
The Cavaliers had eight days to figure out how to deal with the Bulls without Kevin Love and JR Smith, now we see if their scheming and game-planning works out. Cleveland is devastating at home winning 24 of its last 25 games with a pair of regular season wins over Chicago. Even without two top players the Cavs are 4.5-point favorites in Game One.
KEY INJURY
Cleveland forward Kevin Love is out for the playoffs after having surgery on his dislocated left shoulder. The injury occurred in the fourth game of the Cavs opening round series with Boston when Kelly Olynyk yanked Love’s arm when the two were scrambling a loose ball.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“The only thing you can do with him is try to make him work for his points. You can’t really give him a steady diet of anything. You’ve to mix it up on him. The thing that makes him who he is he can beat you a lot of different ways. It’s not only his scoring. It’s his passing. He’s seen every type of defense there is.” – Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau on LeBron James
BETTING TRENDS
- Chicago is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games overall.
- Cleveland is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games on three or more days rest.
- The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five head-to-head meetings in Cleveland.
KEY STATS
24.8: Bulls guard Jimmy Butler averaged 24.8 points in the first-round series win over Milwaukee and scored 20 or more five times in six games.
23.3: Cleveland guard Kyrie Irving averaged 23.3 points against Boston and scored 24 or more points in three games.
12: Cavs forward LeBron James has never lost a postseason series to Chicago posting a 12-3 record while averaging 27.1 points.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The question surrounding the Bulls is which team will show up? The one that struggled with Milwaukee’s length and athleticism and had a tough time with the Bucks, or the team that looked unstoppable in Game Six at Milwaukee. The Bulls won 50 regular season games dealing with an assortment of injuries and had their projected starting lineup together for just 22 games. Well the starters are back and the 120-66 thumping of the Bucks shows just how good this team can be. Paul Gasol averaged a double-double in the first round series but will have a tougher time working against the Cavs frontcourt.
The favorite in the Eastern Conference Cleveland will have to move on without Kevin Love and will play the first two games of this series with JR Smith, who was suspended after decking Boston’s Jae Crowder in the first-round, in street clothes. Cleveland has plenty of depth so look for Tristan Thompson, an unsung player on the Cavs bench, to get more playing time. The Cavs also have plenty of offensive firepower to offset the loss of Love and they have the best player in the league in LeBron James.
If Chicago’s Derrick Rose can match the caliber of play delivered by backcourt mate Jimmy Butler the Bulls could pose a serious threat to the Cavs. Rose had four games of 15 or fewer points against the Bucks while Butler averaged 24.8 with five games of 20 or more. Chicago needs to take advantage of the chance given them with JR Smith out for the first two games. But Cleveland is still loaded and LeBron James is still the best.
Cleveland 106, Chicago 99
The NBA odds for this game will first open at BookMaker sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next half. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The matchup between the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers will start at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, May 4, 2015, at Quicken Loans Arena. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
