LeBron’s Offensive Explosion Leads To Cavaliers Stopping Bulls 106-97

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap

I had the privilege of covering LeBron James first three seasons in the Association, as Sports Director of Metro Networks in Cleveland. (I do not use the term “privileged” for every player I have ever covered. I can easily think of three former Cavaliers players, that it was a “chore” to cover. One is still actively playing in the NBA.) Long time readers of Slam Dunk Central will also remember that I covered LBJ in the 2007 NBA Finals for this site. That meant I saw James play live 41 regular season games, and any home playoff games and interview him after the game. When you see an athlete for an extended period of time, on an every game basis you pick up things they do. It’s usually subtle, but those little signs can tell you a lot.

When LeBron is feeling it, his jaw juts out just slightly when he’s shooting, almost as if he is pushing the ball into the cylinder with his entire being. That jaw was jutting out Saturday night, as LBJ recorded a double-double, scoring 41 points, the second time he has done it against the Chicago Bulls in less than a week. Cleveland held off the Bulls 106-97 in a game that was far closer than the final score indicates.

The Cavaliers took the lead at the end of the first quarter as they were up 32-27. Chicago would get the advantage about midway through the second quarter, and would be on top at the half 57-54. The Bulls would get ahead by as much as 8 points throughout the third, but a Daniel Gibson 27 foot trey tied the score 74-74 with 1:40 remaining in the period. Andres Nocioni 19 seconds later sank a 26 foot trey, and Chicago had a 77-74 lead heading into the fourth quarter. That’s when LBJ went into that next gear, as he began the period hitting 3-4 at the charity stripe, knocking a 25 foot three point shot, and then sinking a jumper. The spurt would put the Cavaliers ahead 82-77, but the Bulls had one more run left in them. Ben Gordon would hit back to back mid-range jumpers, to bring Chicago within 2 at 96-94. James sank a shot from outside the arc, making it a 99-94 game. Gordon made 2 at the line, but then James hit another trey putting Cleveland ahead 102-96, and taking the fight out of the Bulls.

LBJ shot 13-29 from the floor, 4-7 from outside the arc, and 11-13 from the stripe as he scored a game high 41 points, grabbing 13 boards, 4 assists. Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, Anderson Varejao had 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal, 1 assist. Mo Williams had 11 points, 7 assists, 4 steals, 2 rebounds.

Nobody likes to see anybody injured. Chicago guard Kirk Hinrich will miss as long as the next three months after he undergoes surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb. The injury finally forced to put Ben Gordon in the starting lineup, a move that should have made when Larry Hughes was injured during preseason. (I half expected Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro to try out Joakim Noah at the two guard, rather than allowing Gordon to start.) Gordon teamed up with the “Rook” can make for an explosive starting back court in Chicago. Gordon was the leading scorer for the Bulls, as he had 29 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists. Luol Deng scored 20 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block, number one draft pick Derrick Rose scored 17 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal. Nocioni scored 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal. Cleveland is now 5-2 after back to back victories, Chicago is 3-4.

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