The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the second night of a back-to-back as they host the Chicago Bulls at 8 pm.
Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (6-3) vs Chicago Bulls (6-2)
Where: Rocket Arena — Cleveland, OH
When: Saturday,
Nov. 8 at 8:00pm EST
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -8
Cavs Injury Report: Not yet submitted
Bulls Injury Report: Coby White – OUT (calf), Zach Collins – OUT (left scalphoid), Ayo Dosunmu – PROBABLE (Quad)
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What to watch for
Chicago is playing good basketball to start this season. You won’t want to overlook them entering this game.
Bulls pace
It’s not easy for a young team like the Bulls to establish an identity. But Chicago has leaned all the way into their speed and athleticism. This is one of the fastest playing teams in basketball — and that has likely led to most of their success to start the season. Chicago currently has the 4th-best transition offense in the NBA, according to Cleaning the Glass.
The Cavs aren’t afraid to play fast. They actually rank 2nd in transition frequency and have the offensive firepower to run-and-gun any team out of the gym. That said, Cleveland will probably look to keep this game in the halfcourt as much as possible. Not only because it’s the second night of a back-to-back, but also because the Bulls’ offense is only 12th in the halfcourt compared to top-five in transition.
Cavs Defense
Keeping in theme with our first heading, the Cavs’ defense will have to step up tonight. It’s been a shaky start to the year as injuries have piled up and the rotations have been inconsistent. Now that they’ve had some time together, Cleveland should hope to see some real progress being made on the defensive side of the ball.
This means cleaning the glass, defending the three-point line, and most of all, dictating the terms of engagement. If the Cavs can keep Chicago out of transition — and instead force them into the halfcourt — then you’ll know this defense is controlling the game.
