Halftime Report

Only two more quarters stand between the Cavaliers and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have jumped out to a 85-76 lead against the Bulls.

The Cavaliers entered the match having won 13 straight and they’re just two quarters away from another. Will they make it 14, or will the Bulls step up and spoil it? We’ll know soon.

Who’s Playing

Chicago Bulls @ Cleveland Cavaliers

Current Records: Chicago 5-7, Cleveland 13-0

How To Watch

• When: Friday, November 15, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — Cleveland, Ohio
• TV: Chicago Sport Network
• Follow: CBS Sports App
• Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
• Ticket Cost: $65.00

What to Know

Bulls fans better hope the squad plays one heck of a game on Friday as the odds are decidedly against them. They will challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Bulls might want some stickum for this one as the team gave up 18 turnovers on Wednesday.

Last Wednesday, the Bulls skirted by the Knicks 124-123 thanks to a clutch free throw from Coby White with 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Among those leading the charge was Zach LaVine, who went 12 for 17 en route to 31 points plus eight assists and seven rebounds. That’s the most assists he has posted since back in November of 2023.

The Bulls were working as a unit and finished the game with 31 assists. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they’ve now posted at least 25 assists in six consecutive matches.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers put another one in the bag on Wednesday to keep their perfect season alive. They walked away with a 114-106 victory over the 76ers. The over/under was set at 219.5 points, so nice work oddsmakers; you were right on the money.

The Cavaliers can attribute much of their success to Donovan Mitchell, who almost dropped a triple-double on 23 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists, and Darius Garland, who went 10 for 16 en route to 25 points plus six assists and five rebounds.

Chicago’s win bumped their record up to 5-7. As for Cleveland, they pushed their record up to 13-0 with the victory, which was their seventh straight on the road.

Friday’s matchup is shaping up to be a scrappy contest: The Bulls have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 46.7 rebounds per game (they’re ranked fifth in rebounds per game overall). It’s a different story for the Cavaliers, though, as they’ve been averaging only 41.8. Given the Bulls’ sizable advantage in that area, the Cavaliers will need to find a way to close that gap.

The Bulls came up short against the Cavaliers when the teams last played on Monday, falling 119-113. Can the Bulls avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We’ll find out soon enough.

Odds

Cleveland is a big 10.5-point favorite against Chicago, according to the latest NBA odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Cavaliers as a 9.5-point favorite.

The over/under is 237.5 points.

See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

Cleveland has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Chicago.

• Nov 11, 2024 – Cleveland 119 vs. Chicago 113
• Feb 28, 2024 – Chicago 132 vs. Cleveland 123
• Feb 14, 2024 – Cleveland 108 vs. Chicago 105
• Jan 15, 2024 – Cleveland 109 vs. Chicago 91
• Dec 23, 2023 – Cleveland 109 vs. Chicago 95
• Feb 11, 2023 – Cleveland 97 vs. Chicago 89
• Jan 02, 2023 – Cleveland 145 vs. Chicago 134
• Dec 31, 2022 – Cleveland 103 vs. Chicago 102
• Oct 22, 2022 – Cleveland 128 vs. Chicago 96
• Mar 26, 2022 – Chicago 98 vs. Cleveland 94