The Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers are playing on the ABC NBA schedule on Sunday afternoon and the game from Quicken Loans Arena is on WatchESPN online streaming at 3:30 pm ET as LeBron James and Kevin Love take on Pau Gasol, Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah in a central division battle with the playoffs just around the corner.
The Cavs are leading the division and they have been the best team in the league over a stretch and they will have Kevin Love in the lineup against the Bulls. Love was able to have a full practice without any issues and the team can basically lock up their seed and division title with a win against the Bulls. The team would be able to have a four game lead in with five games left to play with a win against Chicago.
Love has missed one game and has had time off to rest after taking an elbow to the back in the game against the 76ers. Love did not play in the game against Miami and overall he has missed six games this season, but said that he would be ready for the playoffs. The Cavs come in at the second seed and they cannot catch the Hawks, but they can hold off the Bulls and that would put the team in position to get home court until the eastern conference finals depending on who is left.
The Cavaliers may rest Love, James and other players down the stretch if they get a win on Sunday and that is why this game is an important one for the team. Love was able to get a week of rest while only missing one game and now he gets the chance to matchup with the Bulls. Love is averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds this season and while he has missed six games, he has been valuable to the team and is one reason why they are leading the central with 49 wins.
The Cavs are 3-3 when Love is out of the lineup and they have won 46 games with him playing and the matchup with the Bulls will help set playoff position. This is the last time the teams play this season and there is a chance they could meet in the playoffs depending on how things shake out over the first round.
The win would give the Cavaliers the season series and Chicago has games against Miami, the Brooklyn Nets as well as the Hawks to end the season. The Cavs have games with the Bucks, Celtics, Pistons and Wizards to end the season.
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