What To Expect In First Cleveland Cavaliers-Chicago Bulls Matchup

In their most recent game, which was the second night of a back-to-back, the Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the New Orleans Pelicans by a score of 123-104.

This defeat snapped Cleveland’s three-game winning streak.

The Cavaliers look to start a new winning streak with a road victory over the Chicago Bulls tonight.

Here are four things to expect in the first matchup between the pair of Central Division foes this season.

1. Even More Cleveland Injuries

According to the NBA’s 7:30 p.m. ET Injury Report, Cleveland will be missing two key bench contributors.

Swingman Caris LeVert (left knee tendonitis) and guard Sam Merrill (right wrist sprain) are both out for tonight’s game after both played in the Cavaliers’ most recent contest.

2. All-Star Big Man Battle

The center matchup between Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen and Chicago’s Nikola Vučević should be an intriguing one to watch.

For the Cavaliers, the 2022 NBA All-Star is averaging 13.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.9 blocks per game.

For the Bulls, the two-time NBA All-Star is averaging 16.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.

3. A Boiling Hot Bulls Team

Chicago is currently on a three-game winning streak, which is the second-longest active such streak in the Eastern Conference. The team has also won four of its last five games.

The Bulls are averaging 117.5 points per game in these four wins compared to its season average of 110.5 points per game, which ranks 26th in the NBA.

4. Road Motivation for Cleveland

Cleveland has lost its last three road games by a combined 26 points.

The Cavaliers’ last road victory came back on December 8, which was a comeback triumph over the Miami Heat.