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NBA · Regular season

Chicago Bulls vs Cleveland Cavaliers: Preview and Stats

Chicago Bulls 1-9
vs
Cleveland Cavaliers 6-6
United Center, Chicago

Our picks

Our picks for Chicago Bulls vs Cleveland Cavaliers come out after the official NBA injury report, at most 48 hours before tip-off, and at the latest (3 hours before tip-off).

We are waiting for the result of a team's previous game.

Our NBA model track record for this matchup

Our winner picks on these teams

  • Chicago Bulls 8 of 10 right (80%)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers 7 of 12 right (58%)

Settled NBA winner picks since 21 Oct 2026.

Game details

Stage
NBA, Regular season
Tip-off
Arena
United Center
City
Chicago
Since last match
Chicago Bulls: Denver Nuggets Cleveland Cavaliers: Indiana Pacers
Next match
Chicago Bulls: Charlotte Hornets Cleveland Cavaliers: New York Knicks

Missing production & availability impact

Share of last 10 games' offensive creation (PTS + AST) and minutes sidelined.

Chicago Bulls

Official NBA injury report not yet filed for this matchup.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Official NBA injury report not yet filed for this matchup.

Official NBA injury report

Chicago Bulls

Official NBA injury report not yet filed for this matchup.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Official NBA injury report not yet filed for this matchup.

Expected 8-man core rotation

Projected starters and key bench from recent usage and the official injury report.

Chicago Bulls

Projected Starters
  • F Caleb Wilson
    30.7 MPG 18.9 PPG 6.2 RPG 1.9 APG
  • G Josh Giddey
    27.7 MPG 10.2 PPG 4.6 RPG 8.3 APG
  • G Norman Powell
    28.9 MPG 19.2 PPG 2.5 RPG 1.6 APG
  • F Matas Buzelis
    26.3 MPG 13.5 PPG 4.3 RPG 2.0 APG
  • F-C Jalen Smith
    23.9 MPG 12.8 PPG 7.4 RPG 1.9 APG
Key Bench
  • G-F Isaac Okoro
    19.1 MPG 5.2 PPG 1.4 RPG 1.4 APG
  • G Tre Jones
    18.7 MPG 10.6 PPG 2.5 RPG 2.9 APG
  • F Patrick Williams
    24.3 MPG 6.7 PPG 3.3 RPG 3.0 APG

Cleveland Cavaliers

Projected Starters
  • G James Harden
    32.5 MPG 17.2 PPG 4.4 RPG 5.5 APG
  • G Donovan Mitchell
    32.4 MPG 22.0 PPG 4.5 RPG 5.9 APG
  • C Evan Mobley
    31.6 MPG 16.5 PPG 7.0 RPG 3.7 APG
  • G Peyton Watson
    27.1 MPG 11.4 PPG 5.2 RPG 2.8 APG
  • C Jarrett Allen
    24.6 MPG 11.8 PPG 8.5 RPG 1.8 APG
Key Bench
  • G Meleek Thomas
    22.9 MPG 13.1 PPG 2.8 RPG 1.2 APG
  • G Sam Merrill
    23.3 MPG 8.1 PPG 3.4 RPG 1.7 APG
  • G-F Mario Hezonja
    18.9 MPG 7.5 PPG 5.7 RPG 1.5 APG

OptimaGoal power & pace ratings

Full NBA power ratings

Neutral-court net point rating and 48-minute tempo rank across all 30 NBA franchises.

Chicago Bulls

#27 of 30
Net rating -5.1 30d: +0.9
Pace: 2.3 (#2 of 30)

Cleveland Cavaliers

#11 of 30
Net rating +1.5 30d: -3.0
Pace: -1.5 (#15 of 30)

OptimaGoal tactical & efficiency profile (0–100)

Original 0–100 indices built from each team's last 10 played games before tip-off.

Chicago Bulls

Net 12
Shot quality (TS%) 31
3PT volume & accuracy 31
Ball security & passing 29
Rebounding control 39
Defensive disruption 37

ORtg 106.4 · DRtg 121.0 · Net -14.6 · TS 55.1%

Cleveland Cavaliers

Net 58
Shot quality (TS%) 53
3PT volume & accuracy 66
Ball security & passing 70
Rebounding control 47
Defensive disruption 55

ORtg 115.3 · DRtg 112.4 · Net +2.9 · TS 58.2%

Chicago Bulls · Record vs point differential W-L record aligned with point differential 1W actual vs 1.4W expected (10 GP)
Cleveland Cavaliers · Record vs point differential W-L record aligned with point differential 6W actual vs 6.7W expected (12 GP)

Halftime splits & clutch profile

Game-state outcomes and half-by-half scoring share over the last 15 games.

Chicago Bulls

Win rate when leading at HT 2/5 (40%)
Comeback wins when trailing at HT 1/10 (10%)
Scoring split (1H vs 2H)
1H: 57.1 (49.8%) 2H: 57.7 (50.2%)
Clutch (≤5 pts / OT): 0-2 10+ pt margins: 2-8

Cleveland Cavaliers

Win rate when leading at HT 4/5 (80%)
Comeback wins when trailing at HT 2/10 (20%)
Scoring split (1H vs 2H)
1H: 55.5 (49.3%) 2H: 57.2 (50.7%)
Clutch (≤5 pts / OT): 2-2 10+ pt margins: 3-5

Scoring environment and threshold hit counts across the last 10 games.

CHICLE
Points scored / game 113.3 116.6
Points allowed / game 128.8 113.7
Average game total 242.1 230.3
Average 1st-half total 123.4 112.3
Possessions / 48 min 106.5 100.1
Games with 220+ pts 10/10 8/10
Games with 230+ pts 9/10 5/10
Games with 240+ pts 6/10 3/10
Scored 115+ pts 5/10 6/10

Schedule density & travel spot

Rest days, multi-game compression and current home/road stretch entering tip-off.

Chicago Bulls

0 days (Back-to-back)
1 in 4 nights 1 in 6 nights Homestand · Game 3

Cleveland Cavaliers

2 days rest
1 in 4 nights 1 in 6 nights Road trip · Game 3

Primary offensive threats

Available rotation leaders by scoring and shot share over the last 10 games.

Chicago Bulls

  • #1 Josh Giddey G 9.0% pts share
    10.2 PPG · 4.6 RPG · 8.3 APG · 1.0 3PM 10.4% FGA
  • #2 Caleb Wilson F 16.7% pts share
    18.9 PPG · 6.2 RPG · 1.9 APG · 2.3 3PM 18.2% FGA
  • #3 Norman Powell G 16.9% pts share
    19.2 PPG · 2.5 RPG · 1.6 APG · 2.1 3PM 14.4% FGA

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • #1 Donovan Mitchell G 18.9% pts share
    22.0 PPG · 4.5 RPG · 5.9 APG · 2.8 3PM 17.8% FGA
  • #2 James Harden G 14.8% pts share
    17.2 PPG · 4.4 RPG · 5.5 APG · 2.8 3PM 14.0% FGA
  • #3 Evan Mobley C 14.2% pts share
    16.5 PPG · 7.0 RPG · 3.7 APG · 2.0 3PM 12.4% FGA

Last five games

Chicago Bulls

  • L 119-124 vs San Antonio Spurs (H) 12 Nov
  • L 121-127 vs Philadelphia 76ers (H) 8 Nov
  • L 105-135 at New York Knicks (A) 5 Nov
  • L 107-126 at Philadelphia 76ers (A) 3 Nov
  • L 111-125 at Boston Celtics (A) 30 Oct

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • W 115-107 at New York Knicks (A) 12 Nov
  • L 112-124 at Charlotte Hornets (A) 10 Nov
  • L 97-109 vs New York Knicks (H) 8 Nov
  • W 119-95 vs Philadelphia 76ers (H) 7 Nov
  • L 116-124 at Oklahoma City Thunder (A) 5 Nov

Most recent first, all games of the season, overtime included.

Last 10 head-to-head meetings

CHI · 3W CLE · 7W
Avg total pts: 244.8 CHI avg: 120.1 CLE avg: 124.7 225+ pt games: 9/10 CHI at home: 2-3
  • 19 Mar 2026 CHI 110‑115 CLE
  • 19 Dec 2025 CLE 125‑136 CHI
  • 17 Dec 2025 CHI 127‑111 CLE
  • 8 Nov 2025 CLE 128‑122 CHI
  • 8 Apr 2025 CLE 135‑113 CHI
  • 4 Mar 2025 CHI 117‑139 CLE
  • 15 Nov 2024 CLE 144‑126 CHI
  • 11 Nov 2024 CHI 113‑119 CLE
  • 28 Feb 2024 CHI 132‑123 (2OT) CLE
  • 14 Feb 2024 CLE 108‑105 CHI

Season profile comparison

CHICLE
Record 1-9 6-6
At home 0-4 4-2
On the road 1-5 2-4
Conference 14 of 15, Eastern Conference 6 of 15, Eastern Conference
Streak Lost 5 in a row –
Days of rest 0 (second night of a back-to-back) 2
Our team rating #27 of 30 #11 of 30
Pace #1 of 30 #15 of 30

Eastern Conference standings

Full NBA standings
# Team W L PCT GB Home Road L10 Streak
1 Boston Celtics 10 2 .833 – 5-0 5-2 9-1 W5
2 Philadelphia 76ers 10 3 .769 0.5 5-2 5-1 7-3 W1
3 Detroit Pistons 8 3 .727 1.5 3-2 5-1 7-3 W2
4 Atlanta Hawks 7 5 .583 3.0 3-3 4-2 5-5 L1
5 New York Knicks 6 5 .545 3.5 4-3 2-2 6-4 L1
6 Cleveland Cavaliers 6 6 .500 4.0 4-2 2-4 5-5 W1
7 Miami Heat 5 6 .455 4.5 1-3 4-3 5-5 W2
8 Toronto Raptors 5 7 .417 5.0 2-3 3-4 3-7 L3
9 Orlando Magic 4 7 .364 5.5 0-4 4-3 4-6 W2
10 Charlotte Hornets 4 8 .333 6.0 3-4 1-4 3-7 L1
11 Indiana Pacers 4 8 .333 6.0 1-4 3-4 3-7 W1
12 Washington Wizards 4 9 .308 6.5 2-3 2-6 2-8 L6
13 Brooklyn Nets 3 8 .273 6.5 1-3 2-5 3-7 W1
14 Chicago Bulls 1 9 .100 8.0 0-4 1-5 1-9 L8
15 Milwaukee Bucks 1 11 .083 9.0 1-6 0-5 1-9 L8

Solid cut lines mark Top 6 (direct Play-offs) and Top 10 (Play-in Tournament).

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