The Bulls vs. Cavaliers odds haven’t changed in terms of the team that’s most likely to win this first-round postseason series. What might have changed since Monday night’s Game 2 is the number of games this series might last. What NBA betting school of thought will carry the day when Cleveland and Chicago take to the court again?

Eastern Conference First Round: Cleveland @ Chicago, Game 3

Thursday, April 21
Bookmaker Odds: No line (as of yet)

When sports betting experts began to discuss this matchup between the top-seeded Cavaliers and the eighth-seeded Bulls, more than a few voices likely suggested that LeBron James and friends would bring out the brooms. Chicago finished below the .500 mark and needed a number of breaks just to edge out the Toronto Raptors for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. At least four of the Bulls’ five starters – Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Derrick Rose – missed some games over the past two months due to injuries. Off the court, Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro was reportedly involved in some kind of altercation with team general manager John Paxson. (Who initiated the incident was never confirmed.) Very simply, the Bulls were mediocre, injury-riddled, dysfunctional, and plagued by distractions. That’s not exactly the kind of team that figured to give Cleveland – graced with the best record in the NBA – a run for the money.

Yes, entering Game 3, the Cavs do own a 2-0 lead. Yes, Cleveland has not played embarrassingly bad basketball. Yes, this series could still wind up being a sweep without too much of a shift in the action. Nevertheless, after a pair of sluggish victories on their home court, the Cavs do not have the look of a team that’s ready to sweep the Bulls away. Especially in Monday’s Game 2, LeBron was playing the all-too-familiar 1-on-5 basketball that the hoops community witnessed last year. Cleveland is basically playing well enough to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, but not well enough to beat the Orlando Magic or the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron is a gifted player who can hit incredible shots – he certainly did so in Monday’s 40-point performance – but that method can work for only so long. Cleveland coach Mike Brown is not regarded as one of the better bench bosses in the business, and nothing seen from his team has indicated that the Cavs are ready to create a different ending to this particular season. Cleveland is playing the kind of basketball that led to a crushing 2009 setback against Orlando. Given the fact that three different Bulls scored at least 20 points in Game 2, Chicago is showing enough firepower to represent a credible threat. Chicago center Joakim Noah scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Game 2, and if he can display even 80 percent of that form in Game 3, the Bulls – with a home crowd behind them at the United Center – stand a really good chance of averting a sweep. This series began when “Cavs in four” felt right. Now, it feels like “Cavs in five.” The Bulls will win Game 3.

The NBA playoff odds are certainly tilting more in that direction right now.

Online basketball betting pick: Chicago