The Chicago Bulls are sputtering at the worst possible time. The Bulls crashed to their second consecutive defeat Thursday with an eight-point loss to the Miami Heat. It was a demoralizing loss for the Bulls who are now just one defeat away from missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2007-2008 season.
The Bulls will look to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive when they lock horns with the Cleveland Cavaliers this coming Saturday. Who will emerge victorious in this critical Eastern Conference showdown? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this all-important clash and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of the game between the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors.
The Cleveland Cavaliers had their four-game unbeaten run snapped on Wednesday with a 123-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers. The Cavs had no answer for Paul George who scored a game-high 29 points and grabbed five rebounds. It was a disappointing defeat for the Cavs who sorely missed the services of four-time MVP LeBron James. The Cavs are 1-4 this season and 4-14 the last two when James doesn’t play.
The Cavs will look to return to winning ways this coming Saturday when they face the Chicago Bulls. For Cleveland to pull off the victory this coming weekend, it needs to improve on its play on the defensive end. The Cavs’ defense was simply atrocious against Indiana as they allowed the Pacers to shoot 56.3 percent from the field and make 16 of their 31 three-point attempts. That defensive performance was quite a shock considering the Cavs are third in the NBA in scoring defense, allowing just 98.1 points per game this season.
Apart from their defense, the Cavs will also need to execute much better with their outside shots. One night after draining 18 3-pointers against the Bucks, the Cavs shot just 8 of 29 from beyond the arc against Indiana. The Cavs are eighth in the league in three-point percentage, nailing 36 percent of their long bombs this campaign.
The Cavs are 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last 10 road games.
Chicago’s playoff dreams took a huge hit on Thursday as the Bulls suffered a gut-wrenching 106-98 loss to the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena. It was a heart-breaking result for the Bulls who are now three games behind the Detroit Pistons in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The reeling Bulls have now lost seven of their last 10 outings.
Next up for the Bulls is a clash with Eastern Conference powerhouse Cleveland. Fred Hoiberg’s men will still fancy their chances against the Cavaliers as they have fared extremely well at home this season. The Bulls are 24-15 at United Center this campaign. That being said, they will face a stern test against the Cavs who own the league’s eighth-best offense, averaging 104.2 points per game this season. They have also lost four of their last six meetings with the Cavs.
For the Bulls to record the all-important victory this coming weekend, they will need to ratchet up their defensive intensity against the Cavs. They allowed Miami to erupt for 66 points in the second half of their showdown on Thursday. That kind of defensive effort simply won’t do against a Cleveland side that’s fourth in the NBA in offensive efficiency, scoring 107.4 points per 100 possessions this season.
The Bulls are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Cavs.
