Wrap-Up – After a high-scoring first half, the Bulls broke out their trademark defense and clamped down on the Wine and Gold after intermission, topping the Cavaliers, 118-92, on Monday night in the Windy City – the Bulls’ 11th consecutive win over Cleveland.
The Cavs led by double-digits in the first half and trailed by only three at the break. But it was all Chicago in the second stanza, picking apart Cleveland’s interior defense and pulling away late in the third.
Dion Waiters notched a team-high 18 points off the bench, going 6-of-11 from the floor with six boards. The starting backcourt of C.J. Miles and Kyrie Irving added 15 points apiece, with Irving tallying a team-best six assists. Tristan Thompson finished with 14 points and eight boards.
Turning Point – The Cavaliers stuck with Chicago through the first half and the first half of the third quarter, but Carlos Boozer keyed an 18-8 run to close the period. Cleveland never got back within single figures and eventually saw the Bulls extend their edge to 30.
Game Ball – Dion Waiters
– On a night where the Wine and Gold struggled to score, Waiters was aggressive all night. He led all scorers and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the stripe.
By the Numbers – 5 … Number of Cavaliers averaging at least 11.0 ppg this season, one of just three teams in the Eastern Conference to do so.
Quotable – Coach Byron Scott, on the Cavaliers, falling to Chicago for the third time this year and 11th overall …
“(The Bulls) just have our number. They feel very confident and comfortable playing against us and from a physical standpoint, they’re just much more physical and aggressive than we are right now.”
Up Next – The Cavaliers have one more home contest – on Wednesday against the Hawks – before departing on their second West Coast trip of the season. They’ll head to Denver to face the Nuggets on Friday, will take on the Lakers on Sunday, they take on Sacramento, Portland and Utah before coming back East.