Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls Prediction: Elite Cavs counters sloppy Bullls

The NBA trade deadline came and went like an electric rate and before we knew it, a bunch of players saw a change of jersey. This is a period where we will see the effects of these trades, for example, the Mavs look like a much more lethal squad with Kyrie Irving and he has led them to a couple of victories without Luka Doncic, imagine when they pair up. More on that, first, let us jump into the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls, two teams that were quiet during the trade deadline.

The Cavs enter the picture after defeating the Pelicans 118:107 as Donovan Mitchell had 30 points. This was the fifth straight win for the Cavaliers and three of these wins have come away from home, which indicates the level of the play. They have attained more balance on the offensive end and their play has certainly picked up on the scoring end, which has resulted in the current boost. Their defense was already among the best, led by the highly shifty Evan Mobley and now their offense has also hit the torque mode. The Cavs are built for the Playoffs' success considering their two-way balance and have registered 36 wins and 22 losses.

The Bulls come into this game after losing 105:109 against the Nets despite a 38 points performance by Zach LaVine and a 17 rebounds outburst by Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls have lost twice in a row after a three-game winning streak, but in the overall scenario, they haven’t been performing well. The 29 losses and 26 wins record indicate their struggles and there is a lot that they will need to correct to get on the course. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have been scoring over 20 points a game but the rest of the offense outside Vucevic has been too erratic. The defense is average but better than the offense. The team didn’t make any major trades so the current set-up is all that they have for the rest of the season.

The Cavs played a night away from home but a win there is sure to boost their confidence. The Bulls aren't exactly a formidable unit for most parts and they are usually exposed by elite defensive units, and the Cavs surely have a strong defense. This is why despite this being a back-to-back affair, I expect the Cavs to ride the momentum. I predict a scoreline of 109:103 in their favor.