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Cavaliers look to continue mastery over Bulls
Mar 2, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter (12) drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers center Duop Reath (26) and forward Deni Avdija (8) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images The NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers twice defeated the Chicago Bulls during a season-opening 15-game winning streak.
On Tuesday, they’ll hope to extend their latest double-digit surge at the expense of host Chicago.
Cleveland totes a 10-game winning streak into the matchup with the struggling Bulls, its third run this season of at least that many games.
While the Cavaliers became the first NBA team this season to earn 50 victories, their latest spurt includes a bit of novelty. Cleveland on Sunday played its first overtime game of the season, edging the Portland Trail Blazers 133-129. De’Andre Hunter contributed 32 points on 8-for-15 shooting as leading scorer Donovan Mitchell (24.3 points a game) was held out to rest.
The Cavs also have needed to channel their comeback ability lately; they’ve won consecutive games after trailing by 18 points or more for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
Cleveland hopes to play from ahead against Chicago while ideally finding a rhythm both offensively and overall. The Cavaliers felt restricted throughout Sunday’s game, which featured a combined 53 personal fouls and 70 free throws.
That, too, presented Cleveland with a different wrinkle.
“There’s a lot of whistles out there today, but I think we did a good job playing through it and not letting it affect our game plan,” Hunter said.
Despite losing eight of their past 10 games, the Bulls entered Monday with a two-game lead on Philadelphia for the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference and the final spot in the East play-in tournament. Brooklyn (2 1/2 games out) and Toronto (five) also are in the hunt.
After rallying from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to top visiting Toronto on Friday, Chicago struggled down the stretch of a 127-112 loss at Indiana on Sunday. Problems with physicality and finishing in the closing stages resurfaced for the Bulls.
Missing big man Nikola Vucevic (right calf tightness) for the fourth straight game, Chicago was outscored 32-20 in the fourth quarter. Bulls coach Billy Donovan said the team must accelerate its toughness regardless of when Vucevic returns to the lineup, which could come as soon as Tuesday.
“We’ve got to get better,” Donovan said. “Some of our younger guys being exposed in those situations, close to the basket, loose balls, jump ball situations. … Those kinds of things we need to get better at. … Some of those teams when they look to change momentum in a game, generally the way you change momentum in a game is not by making shots — although that helps — it’s generally ramping up the physicality.”
Coby White has averaged 25 points in the past two games for the Bulls.
Cleveland will aim to maintain its recent dominance in the series.
The Cavaliers have won nine of the past 10 meetings between the Central Division rivals, including victories by six and 18 points, respectively, in Chicago and Cleveland in mid-November.
Mitchell fueled the Cavs’ Nov. 15 home win with 37 points to outduel White, who scored 29.
Vucevic is averaging 23 points and 9.7 rebounds in his past three games against Cleveland.
–Field Level Media
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Best NBA Bets Today: Game 7 Picks for Cavs vs Raptors, Magic vs Pistons
Feb 19, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) after the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images Two Game 7’s take place on Sunday in the NBA playoffs for the right to advance to the second round.
Both do-or-die contests feature Eastern Conference squads, starting with the top-seeded Detroit Pistons returning home to battle the Orlando Magic.
The night affair showcases the Cleveland Cavaliers, looking to avoid an early exit against the injury-riddled Toronto Raptors. The winners of each of these games face each other in the conference semifinals.
We’ll break down two plays for the Sunday action. Remember to monitor the odds throughout the day, as the sides and totals market is constantly changing.
Here are the free NBA picks for Sunday, May 3. Odds Courtesy of DraftKings.
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- Magic/Pistons Over (201.5)
- Cavaliers (-8.5) vs. Raptors
Magic/Pistons Over (201.5) – 3:30 p.m. ET
Orlando’s offense disappeared in the second half of Friday’s 93-79 home loss to Detroit, preventing the Magic from advancing. The Magic led by 22 points at halftime, but were outscored in the second half, 55-19 as Detroit forced a Game 7 back at home.
How bad was Orlando’s offense in the second half of Game 6? The Magic missed 23 consecutive field goal attempts at one point and finished 4-of-37 in the final 24 minutes.
Will things turn around in Game 7 back in the Motor City? The total closed at 209.5 in Game 6 and never threatened the Over. Sunday’s total has dipped to 202.5, as two games in Detroit finished with 213 points (Game 1) and 225 points (Game 5).
The teams combined for 51 points in the first quarter of Game 6 before Orlando outscored Detroit, 35-12 in the second quarter. It’s unlikely the Pistons will have another quarter like that and the Magic certainly won’t put up 19 points in a half again.
As long as these teams avoid a major cold spell, this game can hit the Over on Sunday afternoon.
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Cavaliers (-8.5) vs. Raptors – 7:30 p.m. ET
The Raptors stunned the Cavaliers in the final seconds of overtime in Game 6 on Friday behind R.J. Barrett’s go-ahead 3-pointer. Toronto returns to Cleveland for Game 7 on Sunday night as the home team owns a perfect 6-0 record in the series.
Toronto’s leading scorer Brandon Ingram missed Game 6 with a heel injury and is questionable for Game 7. Barrett has stepped up to be the Raptors’ top scoring option at 24.3 points per game, while posting at least 22 points in each of the three games in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers have not covered in the last four games since cashing in each of the first two wins at home. Cleveland squandered late leads in two of the losses in Toronto with the only bad performance coming in the 22-point Game 3 loss.
Since the 2023 playoffs, nine of the last 11 Game 7 winners have advanced with a victory margin of at least 10 points. Chances are Cleveland won’t win a close game here, so we’ll lay the points with them to grab a blowout and advance to the second round.
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Canadiens D Noah Dobson game-time decision for Game 7
Apr 11, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson (53) skates during the warmup before the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson is considered a game-time decision for Game 7 of the team’s Eastern Conference first-round series versus the host Tampa Bay Lightning.
Dobson has been sidelined with an upper-body injury after blocking a shot against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 11.
“He’s been a big player for us this year,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “I’m confident that if he plays, he’s going to bring something.”
Dobson, 26, recorded 47 points (12 goals, 35 assists) and averaged 22:29 of ice time in 80 games during the regular season.
The Canadiens acquired Dobson in a sign-and-trade agreement with the New York Islanders on June 27, 2025, as he agreed to an eight-year, $76 million contract.
In return, the Islanders received forward Emil Heineman and both of Montreal’s first-round picks (Nos. 16 and 17) in the 2025 NHL Draft. The Islanders used those selections on Swedish right winger Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson of Barrie (OHL).
Dobson has totaled 277 points (62 goals, 215 assists) in 348 career games since being selected by the Islanders with the 12th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
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Predicting Second Round Stanley Cup Playoff Surprises
As the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs readies to kick into full gear, it is time to pull out the old Upset-O-Meter.
Now that the NHL is (almost) down to its elite eight, the championship chase hits another gear.
We have seen some trends already. All four division champions advanced, with the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche handily dispatching all four wild-card squads.
Curiously, three — and possibly four — of the third-place finishers knocked out the second-place squads. The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild eliminated the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks beat the Edmonton Oilers. Plus, the Montreal Canadiens are taking their best swing at the Tampa Bay Lightning, with Sunday’s Game 7 to decide that extremely tight, and exciting series.
So who will reach the final four?
The underdog with the best chance is the Anaheim Ducks. As well as the Golden Knights finished the regular season and pushed out the Utah Mammoth, do not simply award them the title from the Pillow Fight … sorry … Pacific Division.
Sure, Vegas has looked more like the club we all expected, but there are some cracks for the Ducks to expose, namely, the Vegas goaltending. The Golden Knights are a better defensive team than the Oilers, but Carter Hart’s sub-.900 save percentage will not scare a talented Anaheim team that lit up Edmonton’s netminders, especially when on the power play.
Throw into the mix Anaheim’s speed and size, and the Golden Knights will have their hands full, even with their experience.
On the other side of the spectrum in terms of upset potential, we have the Hurricanes-Flyers series, which opened with a 3-0 Carolina victory on Saturday.
Full credit to the Flyers for beating their state rivals in the opening round, but the Hurricanes showed in the opener why they finished atop the Eastern Conference.
By no means would it be fair to expect Carolina to sweep Philly, but the Hurricanes are poised to have this series done and dusted in five.
Looking at the other Eastern Conference semifinal, we do not know yet who the Sabres will meet, but whether it is the Canadiens or Lightning, it will be a tight series.
The Sabres will deservedly be the favorites, but not by much. No matter the opponents, Buffalo’s goaltending will be considered second best, even with Alex Lyon having a lights-out run upon taking the net in Game 2 of their series against the Boston Bruins. Also of concern is Buffalo’s power play, which scored only one goal on 24 chances against Boston.
In Buffalo’s favor will be the fatigue factor of whatever club advances.
Which brings us to the series that could top them all: Colorado versus Minnesota.
The marquee matchup within the marquee matchup will be the battle of the two best defensemen in the game, Colorado’s Cale Makar and Minnesota’s Quinn Hughes.
And that’s only the beginning of the cavalcade of stars. Colorado was the league’s highest scoring team in the regular season thanks to Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Makar, but showed its ability to defend against the Los Angeles Kings in its first-round sweep.
Granted, it will not be as easy for the Avalanche against a Wild team with far more firepower than the Kings, led by Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Hughes.
Unfortunately for the Wild, injuries to shutdown center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin put them on the back foot before the puck even drops.
Minnesota will put up a fight, but expect Colorado to be too much.
Best NBA Bets Today: Game 7 Picks for Cavs vs Raptors, Magic vs Pistons
Canadiens D Noah Dobson game-time decision for Game 7
