The Chicago Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-105 in the first of four meetings between the two teams this season. Here are the main takeaways from their victory.
Dec 2, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (4) during the second quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Whenever the Chicago Bulls play against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it usually makes for good television. For starters, the two teams play in the same division, which means that the games have a bit of an edge to them. Secondly, LeBron James has been the proverbial obstacle that the Bulls haven’t been able to get past regardless of which team he suits up for.
Last, but certainly not least, both teams were trying to get back into the win column following disappointing losses. The Bulls were lethargic in a 96-90 loss to the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers, while the Cavs were looking to bounce back from a 113-94 drubbing at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers.
As expected, the game was close for most of the evening, with the Cavs nursing a 60-59 lead going into the break. However, the Bulls took control of the game in the third quarter and withstood several runs by the Cavs in the final 12 minutes to hold on for a 111-105 victory.
Here the main takeaways from Chicago’s impressive win over the defending champs.
Dec 2, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) drives past Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half at the United Center. Chicago won 111-105. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
LeBron James Makes Good On Bet With Dwyane Wade
There was a ton of hype surrounding this matchup even before the teams stepped on the court, but it had little to do with the game itself. You see, Wade and James bet on which of their respective baseball teams would win this year’s World Series.
After falling behind 3-1, the Chicago Cubs took the next three games to win the franchise’s first title in over a century — 108 years to be exact. Being a man of his word, James made good on the bet by showing up wearing Cubs gear.
"Why are you following me!" – @KingJames to @DwyaneWade ???? pic.twitter.com/bCuc1o3vCg
— NBA (@NBA) December 2, 2016
As far as the game itself, James led the Cavs with a game-high 27 points to go along with 13 assists and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Wade chipped in with 24 points, five rebounds and four assists.
While the two former teammates had some memorable moments during the game, it was Wade who got the last laugh against his good friend, as the Bulls handed the Cavs their third straight loss — something that hasn’t happened since December of 2015.
Nov 30, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) dribbles the ball against Los Angeles Lakers center Tarik Black (28) during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Nikola Mirotic Comes Up Big In Crunch Time
With a revamped second unit, Nikola Mirotic was expected to be a major contributor off the bench this season.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case thus far as the third-year forward has struggled to play well on a consistent basis. This game didn’t do much to boost his value as he scored just two points on 1-for-9 shooting from the field in 22 minutes of action.
Ironically, Mirotic’s contributions to the Bulls’ victory came on defense. After the Bulls took a 107-101 lead, Mirotic stole the ball from James, which eventually led to a put-back basket for Wade.
Moments later, Mirotic blocked a three-point attempt by Kyrie Irving that led to a shot clock violation with just over a minute left to play. This all but helped the Bulls put the game on ice.
When the jump shot isn’t falling, players have to be able to find different ways to have an impact on the game. For one night at least, Mirotic did exactly that.
Dec 2, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo (9) grabs a rebound over Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) during the second half at the United Center. Chicago won 111-105. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
This Is Why The Bulls Signed Rajon Rondo
After the Bulls traded Derrick Rose and drafted versatile forward Denzel Valentine, adding Rajon Rondo to the mix didn’t seem to make much sense on paper.
After all, he is not considered a great floor spacer. He takes a lot of gambles from a defensive standpoint and he had less-than-stellar exits with the three teams he played for prior to signing with the Bulls.
Having already received praise from Fred Hoiberg on his ability to play with pace, Rondo’s array of talents was on display against the Cavaliers. In 36 minutes of action, Rondo’s final stat line included 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds.
In addition to that, he shot 7-for-12 from the field and connected on his lone attempt from three-point range.
Although Rondo may not be a former MVP like his predecessor, he continues to prove that he can run a team’s offense with the best of them.
Dec 2, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (4) during the second quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Bulls’ (Regular Season) Dominance Over Cavaliers Continues
There was a time when the Bulls owned the Cavaliers in postseason competition. But that trend has changed during James’ tenure with the team. In fact, the last two times these teams met in the playoffs (2010 and 2015), the Bulls were eliminated in five and six games, respectively.
In the past two seasons, however, the Bulls have had their fare share of success against their central division rivals. During the 2015-16 season, the Bulls finished with a mediocre 42-40 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
What is worth noting is that they were a combined 7-1 against the top two teams in the Eastern Conference — the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. This includes a 3-1 mark against Cleveland.
With this win, the Bulls notched their fourth straight home win over the Cavs. During the postgame interview that aired on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Wade stated that he would play against James in every game of the season if it were possible.
And if this is the result, then it is more than understandable why he feels that way.
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