CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland Cavaliers open their preseason campaign with a matchup against the Chicago Bulls today – Tuesday, Oct. 7 – at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. This game is available on multiple streaming services.
How do I watch Cavs for free today?
This game will broadcast live on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio at 7 p.m. Eastern. Fans who have parted ways with their local cable provider can catch this game for free by utilizing a free trial from DIRECTV, which also offers $40 off your first month.
FuboTV has a free trial and up to $30 off your first month.
This game will also stream live on Peacock, which offers a premium monthly subscription for $10.99/month or a premium annual subscription for $109.99/year, where you can save 17% off in one payment.
The Cavs are in their first action since being bounced out of the conference semifinals by the upstart Indiana Pacers, who ultimately represented the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.
In what was a harbinger of events to come, Cleveland won their first 15 games in a row to begin the regular season. The Cavs finished with a 64-18 record and the top seed in the East. Cleveland boasted the second-best offense in the league and a trademark top 10 defense. Kenny Atkinson won Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm.
The core is headlined by franchise centerpiece and first team All-NBA recipient Donovan Mitchell and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, who is looking to make a physicality leap after posting career-high numbers in 2024.
DeAndre Hunter’s first full season with the team could push Cleveland over the hump.
In addition to some tweaks to an already prolific offense, the Cavs are searching for someone to fill the gaping hole left by the exit of Ty Jerome.
Cleveland is dealing with multiple injury issues in the backcourt, which will limit the action and shift the preseason attention to one of their two way-spots, which could go to Norchad Omier, Miller Kopp, Tristan Enaruna or Chaney Johnson.
Point guard Darius Garland, who had surgery in June to repair a turf toe injury, will miss the entire preseason and is expected to miss some time in the beginning of the regular season.
The Cavs swapped Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball in July. He is expected to be capped at 20 minutes per game, and back-to-backs are off the table, for now.
After confirming they will see some time, it’s unclear how many minutes the starters will play in the opener. Atkinson played the starters sparingly in last year’s tune-up games in 2024, and the Cavs lost all four games.
Watch Cavs vs. Bulls on FuboTV for free
The Bulls (39-43), guided by head coach Billy Donovan, weathered another mediocre campaign last season, teetering on the playoff bubble before securing a familiar play-in spot. They lost their play-in matchup with the Miami Heat and finished last in the Central Division.
Australian playmaker Josh Giddey has emerged as the centerpiece of what continues to be a slow rebuild in the Windy City. Core pieces Zach LaVine, Coby White and Nikola Vucevic continue to make strides. Chicago also features young key pieces like Ayo Dosunmu and rookie power forward Matas Buzelis, who the Bulls are especially keen on in the 2025 campaign.
Watch Cavs vs. Bulls for free on DIRECTV
Cavs vs. Bulls injury report
Cleveland Cavaliers: PG Darius Garland (toe) and SG Max Strus (foot) are both out.
Chicago Bulls: PG Coby White (calf) is day-to-day
What are the latest odds for Cavs vs. Bulls preseason?
Spread: CLE: (-7.5), CHI: (+7.5)
Moneyline: CLE: (-325), CHI: (+260)
Point total: 230
Odds from DraftKings
Here’s more information on how to watch Cavs vs. Bulls preseason on TV and streaming services.
What: NBA preseason: Cavs vs. Bulls
When: Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025
Time: 7 p.m. Eastern
Where: Rocket Arena | Cleveland, Ohio
Channel: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio
Best streaming options: FuboTV (free trial and $30 off your first month), DIRECTV (free trial and $40 off your first month) and Peacock
