Basketball odds on Cleveland and Chicago are featured on TNT television on Thursday night. It is a key game for Chicago as they try and catch Toronto for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls have had some success against the Cavaliers in NBA odds, covering six of the last ten games.
Basketball odds indicate that the Cavaliers and Bulls have split their last ten meetings. Most teams don’t have much success against Cleveland but the Bulls have held their own. This season the Cavaliers have won two of the three games but the Bulls did pull out an 86-85 win at Cleveland early in the season. The last two games were Cleveland wins. The Cavaliers won 92-85 in Chicago and 101-87 in Cleveland. The last four times these teams have met, the games have gone under the total.
In the last meeting the Cavaliers got a double-double from LeBron James. He had 29 points, 11 rebounds plus seven assists, two steals and two blocks.
James scored 13 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, including scoring seven in a row late in the game. Mo Williams added 18 points. Taj Gibson led the Bulls with a double-double of a season-high 20 points and 13 rebounds.
You might think that making a bet on Cleveland in their home games would be better than when they are on the road but that has not been the case. The Cavaliers have a winning record vs. the basketball odds on the road but a losing record at home. Cleveland has become like the Lakers in some respects as they are overvalued at home. On the road they are a better basketball bet. They are 21-17-1 against the spread in road games this season.
Chicago still has a shot to make the playoffs. Getting a win on Thursday against Cleveland would be huge. The Bulls are just above .500 at home this season vs. the NBA odds. Chicago goes on the road after this game for games at New Jersey and a huge game at Toronto. Winning against the Cavaliers would definitely send them on the road with a lot of momentum. Chicago plays average defense while the Cavaliers play excellent defense so this game could be low scoring. Chicago has gone under the total more than over the total in home and road games this season.