Cavs vs Bulls Preview, Start Time, TV, Line, and Injury Report

Cavs are looking to clinch first place.

The Cleveland Cavaliers can lock up the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a win tonight. Let’s get this done.

Who: Chicago Bulls (36-42) at Cleveland Cavaliers (62-15)

Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH

When: 7 pm EST

TV: NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network

Line: Cavs -11.5

Expected Cavs starting lineup: Darius Garland, Sam Merrill, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Cavs injury report: Donovan Mitchell – OUT (ankle), Emoni Bates – OUT (G-League), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (G-League), Luke Travers -OUT (G-League)

Expected Bulls starting lineup: Not yet submitted

Bulls injury report: Coby White – OUT (rest), Lonzo Ball – OUT (wrist), Ayo Dosunmu – OUT (shoulder), Kevin Huerter – OUT (right cervical strain), Tre Jones – OUT (left midfoot strain), Josh Giddey – QUESTIONABLE (Right Flexor Carpi Ulnaris; Teninopathy), Nikola Vucevic – QUESTIONABLE (calf)

What to watch for

The Cavs haven’t been playing their best basketball. That’s at least partly because they haven’t had much to play for recently. The one-seed has been all but secured for weeks now. So, how about we officially clinch that spot by taking care of business against an injury-riddled Play-In Team?

Donovan Mitchell will not play in this one. He twisted his ankle in the previous game and will prioritize his health for the playoffs.

This means Darius Garland has a prime opportunity to elevate his game back to the All-NBA status he enjoyed before the All-Star break. Garland’s shooting percentages have taken a dive as he’s been less impactful recently. One last scoring explosion for good measure before the playoffs would feel great.

Last but not least, this could be a legitimate playoff preview for the Cavs. Chicago is currently 9th in the Eastern Conference, putting them in the perfect position to win their portion of the Play-In Tournament and become the 8th seed. In the off-chance this happens, the Cavs might as well get ahead of schedule and send a statement now.

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