NBA Betting Odds – Rose, Desperate Bulls, Host LeBron, Beast of East Cavaliers

Currently just one half-game behind the Toronto Raptors in the race for the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference – with only five regular season games remaining – the Chicago Bulls will be in all-out desperation mode to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers and cover their NBA betting odds when the division rivals meet at the United Center tonight at 8:00 PM ET.

Wednesday, April 7, 8:00 PM ET
(O/U) 196

TV: TNT, TSN2, NBALP, FSO-WUAB
Radio: ESPN Radio 1000, WMMS

NBA Betting Odds: Bulls -2

Cleveland Cavaliers (61-17 SU, 37-40-1 ATS, 37-38-3 O/U)
Chicago Bulls (37-40 SU, 39-36-2 ATS, 32-44-1 O/U)

Here is a look at the basketball betting trends as they relate to tonight’s matchup.

• Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
• Home team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
• Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Chicago.

Cleveland 411

• Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games.
• Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
• Cavaliers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following an SU win.

Veteran forward Antawn Jamison scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Cavaliers 10 a convincing 113-101 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Cleveland covered the NBA betting odds as a 5.5-point home favorite to snap a five-game ATS losing streak.

Chicago 411

• Bulls are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. loss.
• Bulls are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
• Bulls are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall.
• Bulls are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Small forward Luol Deng scored a team-high 16 points and added 10 rebounds in Chicago’s narrow 79-74 loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday night. The Bulls failed to cover the pro basketball betting line as a 5.5-point road underdog to fall to 2-2 ATS over the last four games.

Analysis: Let me get this right. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the best all-around player on the planet, a 60-win record and a fantastic 8-2 SU record over the last 10 games.

The Chicago Bulls are a young mediocre team without much of a clue (outside of point guard Derrick Rose) and have gone just 2-2 SU over its last four game, including a loss to a Milwaukee Bucks ballclub that was without center Andrew Bogut.

So could somebody please tell me why the Bulls are favored in this contest?

Exactly! They shouldn’t be, and I wouldn’t bet on them if I were using someone else’s money.

I know the Cavaliers have traditionally struggled against the Bulls when these two teams meet in Chicago, with Cleveland going a dismal 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings in Chicago.

Okay, okay, I know the Cavaliers have also been pretty abysmal against the spread themselves, but I’m not buying into the fact that they’ll lose to the Bulls tonight, particularly so close to the postseason.

I know the Cavaliers have gone an ugly 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games while Chicago has gone a spotless 6-0 ATS in their last six games following an SU loss and a blistering 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall, but I’m banking on the Cavaliers to cover the NBA betting line tonight with Chicago going a pitiful 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games versus a team with a winning road record.

Yeah, the more I think about, I like the Cavaliers and LBJ to make a statement to the listless Bulls tonight that they are not going to cover the NBA betting odds – or win this game.

Expert NBA Picks: Cleveland +2 Points