Chicago @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 27, 2019 ) Cleveland 104, Chicago 101

The Chicago Bulls will cap off a road-heavy opening stretch when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. The contest is the fourth on the road in the first five games for the Bulls, who then play eight of their first 11 November contests in the Windy City.

They enter Cleveland on a sour note after dropping their second straight with a 105-98 setback at the New York Knicks on Monday. The Cavaliers won their only home game against Indiana on Saturday before falling at Milwaukee 129-112 two nights later, although they were pleased to hang with the mighty Bucks until the closing moments. "This is a great team," Cleveland forward Larry Nance Jr. told reporters of Milwaukee, which led by just seven midway through the fourth quarter. "They're probably picked to come out of the East this year. So to play on their court and battle them down to near the last minute is positive." Nance was one of six Cavaliers to score in double figures while both Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson recorded their third double-doubles in the loss.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Ohio (Cleveland)

ABOUT THE BULLS (1-3): Chicago entered Tuesday's action with a better field-goal percentage (40.5) than just four teams in the NBA and its 3-point percentage (27.5) was higher than only one. Guard Zach LaVine had a team-high 21 points at Madison Square Garden on Monday and is averaging 24.7 on the road. Center Wendell Carter Jr. has notched back-to-back double-doubles and recorded season highs in points (20), blocks (three) and assists (two) in the loss to the Knicks.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (1-2): Thompson, who lost chunks of the previous two seasons due to injury, is averaging 19.3 points on 60 percent shooting and 12.3 rebounds early on. Love is putting up 15.7 points per contest while leading the team in boards (15.7) and assists (4.7). Nance had a total of two points in 48 minutes on a combined 1-for-12 from the floor in two games at Chicago last season, but also scored a season-high 20 points in his one home matchup with the Bulls last December.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bulls PF Lauri Markkanen is 12-for-38 from the floor over his last three games after opening the season with 35 points on 13-of-25 shooting at Charlotte.

2. Cavaliers PG Collin Sexton has scored at least 16 points in all three games and is 4-for-8 from 3-point range over his last two.

3. Chicago took three of four meetings in 2018-19.

PREDICTION: Cavaliers 102, Bulls 99