Cavaliers at Bulls NBA Picks: The Chicago Bulls, chasing the eighth playoffs seed in the NBA Eastern Conference, are entering a critical stretch where they will play three games in four nights starting tonight at United Center (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) against the team with the league's best record, the Cleveland Cavaliers. There is some speculation as to how much playing time Cav's star LeBron James will log, leading to a narrow betting point spread.
NBA oddsmakers at SPORTSBETTING.com have lined the Bulls as 2-chalk favorites in this game, probably because of doubt surrounding James' exptected playing time. Today's total is holding at 193. Cavaliers backers are getting +115 odds on the SPORTSBETTING moneyline while the Bulls are giving -135.
The Cavaliers have nothing to gain over their final four games but perhaps some rest. James played 35 minutes Tuesday, but could see his workload decrease against the Bulls and Friday against Indiana.
James has averaged 25.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists in three relatively lackluster games against Chicago, which won 86-85 in Cleveland on Nov. 5 despite shooting 40.9 percent.
The Cavaliers won 101-87 at home on Dec. 4 and struggled to put away a Bulls team missing Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah in a 92-85 win at the United Center on March 19.
All three are back in the lineup now, and the Bulls likely need Rose to step up if they're going to avoid a sixth loss in eight games to Cleveland. The reigning Rookie of the Year has averaged 13.8 points on 34.0 percent shooting in six career games against the Cavaliers.
NBA Picks: If Cleveland rests its players like we expect they will then take the Bulls as a moneyline wager. The Cavaliers have the best NBA Eastern Conference best record wrapped up and have nothing to gain by risking injury to their best players.
