Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls Betting Pick & Prediction 2/28/24

At 8:00 ET, the Cleveland Cavaliers (-187) will take on the Chicago Bulls (+155) in a Central Division matchup. The Cavaliers are currently favored by 4.5 points and come in with a record of 38-19, which is good for 2nd in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are 27-31 and sit 9th in the East.

This game will be played at the United Center and can be seen on NBCS. The over/under line is currently set at 216.5 points.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS CHICAGO BULLS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -4.5

This game will be played at United Center at 8:00 ET on Wednesday, February 28th.

WHY BET THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 134-100 in favor of the Cavaliers.
• Our projections have Donovan Mitchell finishing with Donovan Mitchell points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
• From the field, we have the Cavaliers finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.1% and knocking down 15 threes.

Taking a Look at the Cavaliers Chances on the Road

As the Cavaliers look to extend their win streak to three games, they are favored by 4.5 points against the Bulls. This season, Cleveland has gone 30-9 as the favorite and has a scoring differential of +8.7 points per game. Their ATS record as the favorite is 19-19.

Cleveland’s ATS record for the season is 28-27, and they have failed to cover the spread in their last six games. On the road, they are 14-11 ATS compared to 14-16 ATS at home.

In terms of their O/U record, the Cavaliers are 26-30-1 this season. Today’s line of 216.5 is lower than the average O/U line of 226 for their games. In 48 of their games, the O/U line has been higher than today’s line.

In their most recent game, the Cavaliers defeated the Mavericks by a score of 121-119. The O/U line for that game was 230.5, and Cleveland was favored by 4 points. The win improved their record to 38-19, which is good for 2nd place in the Eastern Conference.

On the season, the Cavaliers are averaging 114.6 points per game, which is 15th in the NBA. However, they have been better at home, where they are averaging 116.0 points per game compared to 112.9 on the road. In terms of pace, Cleveland is 22nd in the league at 97.6 possessions per game.

When it comes to shooting, the Cavaliers have been efficient, ranking 12th in field goal percentage at 48%. They are also 11th in true shooting percentage. In terms of three-point shooting, Cleveland is 11th in made threes but just 17th in three-point shooting percentage at 36%.

So far, the Cavaliers have outscored the NBA scoring average in 45.6% of their games. In terms of assists, Cleveland is 10th in the league with 27.5 per game. When it comes to free throws, the Cavaliers are 23rd in both free throws made and attempted.

Coming into the game, the Cavaliers defense has held opposing team’s to fewer points than the league average in 35.1% of their games. Currently, they are 2nd in the NBA at 109.3 points per game allowed. In their previous matchup vs. the Mavericks, the Cavaliers’ defense struggled, giving up a field goal percentage of 52% leading to 119 points.

Will Chicago Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?

In games involving the Bulls this season, the average combined scoring total is 224.5 points, which is higher than today’s O/U line of 216.5. This season, 45 of their games have had higher O/U lines than today’s, compared to just 10 games with lower lines.

Chicago’s O/U record for the season is 30-27-1, and the under has hit in their last two games. Today’s line is lower than their season average of 222.3 points per game.

The Bulls are 11-21 as the underdog this season and have gone 17-15 ATS in those games. As the underdog, they have a scoring differential of -4.8 points per game.

Chicago’s last game was a 105-95 loss to the Pistons. They were favored by 10 points going into the game, giving them an ATS loss. The O/U line for that game was 223.5 points.

Overall, the Bulls are 27-31 this season, which puts them in 9th place in the Eastern Conference. Against other Eastern Conference teams, they are 15-21 compared to 12-10 in non-conference games.

The Bulls are 15-14 straight up at home this season and 15-14 ATS. Their average scoring margin at home is +0.8 points per game. On the road, they are 12-17 straight up and 15-13 ATS.

When it comes to scoring, the Bulls are 25th in the league at 111.6 points per game. In terms of three-point shooting, they are 24th in the NBA at 35% from beyond the arc.

Chicago is 27th in pace this season, averaging 96.8 possessions per game. In terms of assists, the Bulls are 28th in the league at 24.5 per game.

At home, the Bulls are averaging 111.6 points per game, which is 26th in the NBA. So far, they have outscored the league average in just 36.2% of their games.

On average, the Chicago defense is giving up 113.0 points per game (11th). Right now, they are on a 4 game streak of giving up fewer points than their season average. When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Bulls squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 55.8% inside the arc, and they’re also giving up 36.9% from downtown.