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The Cavs return home after a shocking and shameful loss to the last place and injury riddled Pistons for a rematch against the Bulls, who beat the Cavs 106-96 in Chicago four days ago. The Bulls were without their star player in Zach LaVine and will be without him again tonight. Since beating the Cavs the Bulls beat the Celtics in Boston two nights ago 102-96. They held Jayson Tatum to 3-for-17. Vucevic had 29 points and 9 rebounds after punishing the Cavs with 25 points on Saturday. In the absence of LaVine he's stepping up.
So is the Bulls' defense. They held the Celtics, who average over 112 ppg, to 96. The also held the Cavs, averaging just under 104, to 96.
The Bulls are a better road team than at home with a road record of 13-15. They are tied for 10th place, four games ahead of the Cavs with 15 to play. This is the final meeting between these teams. If the Cavs lose and fall five games behind Chicago with 14 to play they can forget about the play-in. It's a very, very long shot already since the Cavs are also four games behind the Wizards and 3.5 behind Toronto. They would have to finish ahead of all three of those teams to end up in 10th place. They have one game left against the Raptors and three against the Wizards. They would have to beat the Wizards all three games plus the Bulls tonight and the Raptors. Even then they would need a lot of help to make up three games on the Bulls with 14 to play. It's all but impossible.
What the Cavs need to do is forget about the W-L and focus on playing the right way, especially in the first and third quarters. In the last game the Bulls won the third quarter by 12 points as the Cavs came out lethargic and undisciplined after halftime. Monday the Bulls beat the Celtics by 14 points in the 3rd quarter in a six-point win. The Bulls basically won their last two games in the third quarter while being outscored in the other three quarters combined. The Cavs need to focus on getting off to good starts at the beginning of the game and the second half because they don't have the firepower to dig themselves out of holes. They are 4-31 when trailing after three quarters.
On Saturday the Cavs' bench was outscored 45-15 by the Bulls bench. That can't happen again. Kevin Love was 2-for-10 on 3's while Dean Wade did not play. That can't happen again. Love has made 3 of his last 21 three-point attempts. That has to change.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has a lot more confidence in his bench than Bickerstaff. The Bulls' bench played 96 minutes against the Cavs while the Cavs' reserves played 72. The Bulls' bench played 33% more minutes than the Cavs' bench and the Bulls still won. Delly was a -14 in 11 minutes.
Larry Nance Jr missed the last game for a personal matter. He's not on the injury report tonight. I don't know if he'll play.
So is the Bulls' defense. They held the Celtics, who average over 112 ppg, to 96. The also held the Cavs, averaging just under 104, to 96.
The Bulls are a better road team than at home with a road record of 13-15. They are tied for 10th place, four games ahead of the Cavs with 15 to play. This is the final meeting between these teams. If the Cavs lose and fall five games behind Chicago with 14 to play they can forget about the play-in. It's a very, very long shot already since the Cavs are also four games behind the Wizards and 3.5 behind Toronto. They would have to finish ahead of all three of those teams to end up in 10th place. They have one game left against the Raptors and three against the Wizards. They would have to beat the Wizards all three games plus the Bulls tonight and the Raptors. Even then they would need a lot of help to make up three games on the Bulls with 14 to play. It's all but impossible.
What the Cavs need to do is forget about the W-L and focus on playing the right way, especially in the first and third quarters. In the last game the Bulls won the third quarter by 12 points as the Cavs came out lethargic and undisciplined after halftime. Monday the Bulls beat the Celtics by 14 points in the 3rd quarter in a six-point win. The Bulls basically won their last two games in the third quarter while being outscored in the other three quarters combined. The Cavs need to focus on getting off to good starts at the beginning of the game and the second half because they don't have the firepower to dig themselves out of holes. They are 4-31 when trailing after three quarters.
On Saturday the Cavs' bench was outscored 45-15 by the Bulls bench. That can't happen again. Kevin Love was 2-for-10 on 3's while Dean Wade did not play. That can't happen again. Love has made 3 of his last 21 three-point attempts. That has to change.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has a lot more confidence in his bench than Bickerstaff. The Bulls' bench played 96 minutes against the Cavs while the Cavs' reserves played 72. The Bulls' bench played 33% more minutes than the Cavs' bench and the Bulls still won. Delly was a -14 in 11 minutes.
Larry Nance Jr missed the last game for a personal matter. He's not on the injury report tonight. I don't know if he'll play.
