Cavaliers Hot Start Wasted Bulls Win 100-95

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main

LeBron James scored 24 points in the first quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers looked like they were on their way to blowing out the Chicago Bulls Friday as they led 33-25 at the end of the first period. Problem for Cleveland was there are four quarters in a NBA game, and although the Cavaliers were strong in the first and the fourth they were shall we say, not so strong in the middle two periods, as the Bulls defeated Cleveland 100-95. Luol Deng led the way for Chicago with 21 points, LBJ scored just 10 points in the remaining three periods.

Cleveland is limping into the playoffs, they have now lost 6 of their last 9 games. For this loss to come at the hands of a dysfunctional Chicago team, with former Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes as an opponent must have made the loss harder to take. After grabbing the 8 point lead at the end of the first quarter, Chicago outscored Cleveland 28-14 in the second quarter, hence they had a 53-47 advantage at the half. Cleveland still seemed out of sync when?they came back in the third, as they trailed the Bulls 82-65 heading into final 12 minutes. The Cavaliers of the first quarter returned in the fourth as they outscored Chicago 30-18 but they had dug themselves too deep a hole and could not climb out.

Luol Deng?scored?21 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block,?1 assist.?Tyrus Thomas?recorded a double-double,? scoring 20 points, 14 boards, 3 assists, 3 blocks, Joakim Noah also registered a double-double scoring 17 points, 11 boards, 4 blocks, 1 assist, 1 steal. Ben Gordon scored 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists.

LBJ scored a game high 34 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists. Joe Smith came off the bench and scored 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, Delonte West scored 16 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals,?1 block. Zydrunas Ilgauskas 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist, Devin Brown scored 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists. Chicago is now 31-48, Cleveland 43-36.

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