Round 2 vs Bulls

clenadams

top-photos-from-round-2-vs-chicago

Top Photos From Round 2 vs. Chicago

clejgabriele

Wrap-Up – How many more ways can the resilient Cavaliers figure out to win playoff games? We’re about to find out in six days.

In what was billed as a knock-down-drag-out Game 6 in the City of Broad Shoulders, the Wine and Gold took the lead midway through the second quarter and never looked back, blowing out the Bulls by three touchdowns – 94-73 – and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth time in franchise history.

But it wasn’t so much that the Cavaliers got by the Bulls on Thursday night – it’s how they did it – with LeBron James going 7-for-23 from the floor, Kyrie Irving playing just over one quarter of basketball and Matthew Dellavedova leading the squad in scoring.

Of course, those facts don’t fully explain the runaway. In Thursday night’s drubbing of Chicago, the Cavaliers took twice as many free throws, held the Bulls to just 42 points over the final three periods, doubled their bench scoring and mauled them on the boards, 53-32.

The Bulls got off to a strong start and, in an offseason marred by injuries, it looked like the Cavs would have to weather one more when Kyrie Irving inadvertently stepped on Tristan Thompson's foot early in the second quarter, turning his left knee. Irving hobbled off the floor and directly into the locker room. After getting his leg wrapped, Kyrie came out to the Cavaliers bench, but didn’t return to floor for the rest of the evening.

With Irving out, the Cavs turned to Dellavedova, who responded with the best game of his young career – going 7-for-11 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc to notch 11 of his team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter. The sophomore guard from St. Mary’s College also did his usual stellar work on the defensive end – holding Derrick Rose and Aaron Brooks to a combined 18 points on 9-for-20 shooting.

Tristan Thompson, getting his fourth straight start in place of the injured Kevin Love, was in beast mode from the opening tip: doubling-up for the third time in that span with 13 points, a game-high 17 boards and a pair of blocked shots. Thompson notched 10 of his 13 points in the first period as he set an early aggressive tone that got Cleveland out to a quick start.

Thompson and Timofey Mozgov – who also did some nice work early – teamed to hold Pau Gasol, returning from a two-game layoff with a bad hamstring, to just eight points and five boards.

Following his historic performance in Game 5, LeBron didn’t shoot the ball well on Thursday, but still finished just one rebound shy of his 12th career playoff triple-double – tallying 15 points, a game-high 11 assists (just six less than Chicago had as a team), nine boards and a pair of blocked shots.

The one-two off-guard punch of Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith was deadly again in Game 6. Shumpert finished with 13 points, seven boards and four helpers; Smith came off the bench to net 12 points, eight boards, a steal and a blocked shot – going 3-for-6 from long-distance, including a pair of bombs that had him jawing at the stunned Chicago crowd.

James Jones was the third member of Cleveland’s second unit to go 3-of-6 from deep – adding nine points as Cleveland’s reserves doubled Chicago’s bench production, 40-20.

After giving up 31 points in the first period, the Cavaliers completely locked Chicago down defensively – holding the Bulls to just 13 points in the second and fourth quarters, allowing only 16 in the third. The Bulls shot 38 percent on Thursday and barely above 40 percent in the series.

Turning Point – The Cavaliers were up, 41-40, at exactly the midway point of the second quarter when Nikola Mirotic clotheslined Iman Shumpert on the offensive end. A motivated Shump proceeded to go on a personal 7-0 run before Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau called timeout to stop the bleeding.

But the onslaught only continued from there. Shumpert and J.R. Smith canned back-to-back treys to give Cleveland a 13-point advantage, and Smith’s two free throws upped their edge to 15 just before intermission.

The Bulls notched just a single field goal in the first half of the third quarter and when LeBron splashed home a 15-footer with 4:22 to play in the period, the Cavaliers had upped their edge to 19 points. Things just got worse for Chicago in the fourth, as a scorching Dellavedova proceeded to put them away from beyond the arc.

By the Numbers – 26.2, 11.0, 8.8 … LeBron James’ scoring, rebounding and assist totals in the six-game Second Round matchup with Chicago.

Quotable – Coach David Blatt, describing Matthew Dellavdova’s performance all year and in Game 6 …

”You are talking about character and what it means. That’s what you say about Matthew. He embodies it all. He was an undrafted kid, and not a lot thought he would be in this league. To come out and do what he did was admirable. He understands his role and sees the opportunities. He is fearless.”

Up Next – The Cavaliers will get a well-earned and much-needed six day break before the Eastern Conference Finals tip off next Wednesday. If the Hawks – who lead their Semifinal matchup, 3-2 – advance, Game 1 will take place at Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta. If the surprising Wizards are able to rally past the No. 1-seeded squad, the Wine and Gold will host Game 1 at The Q.

cavs-blast-bulls-advance-to-east-finals

Cavs Blast Bulls, Advance to East Finals

admin

(Thoughts on this win): “I just think the power of team trumps all. We behaved as a team in every respect. We faced a lot of adversity, but as a team we believed in ourselves.”

(On Dellavedova’s performance): “It is one of those things like talking to one of your kids. You are talking about character and what it means. That’s what you say about Matthew. He embodies it all. He was an undrafted kid, and not a lot thought he would be in the league. To come out and do what he did is admirable. Matt can play besides being a great character. He understands his role, and sees the opportunities. He is fearless. He knows who he is playing with out there and where the ball should go. He makes the plays and competes. He is a competitor.”

(On the Shumpert clothesline): “I think that was the wrong guy to clothesline in his home town. He is really a tough guy besides being a heck of a basketball player. It seemed to really wake him up.”

(On the Bulls): “I want to congratulate their team. Tom and Bulls went through a lot this season. They had a lot of adversity and injury. This was a tough, physical series. It was like 2 boxers in the middle of the ring battling it out. I solute Tom and the Bulls after this challenging and difficult season.”

(On their defense): “Since January when we had the roster changes, our defense has really picked up. In the Boston series and here, I have seen another jump forward in it. I have got a great coach staff. Tyronn, Lou, Jim, and the others, did a great job preparing this team. They are fabulous at what they do. They got us ready. Defensively we knew what we were going to do out there. We defended people tonight and held them to 40 points in the 1st half. We knew that they would have to work hard to break that barrier. When you play defense at that level, you have confidence and know you will be in the game.”

(When was the turning point in the series?): “I thought there were 2 things. In game 1, we lost at home and Chicago played a terrific game. However, we were still there to win in the end. We talked about this as a team and didn’t think they could play any better than they did. Then in the 3rd game, we lost but felt the same thing. We thought we could win the game, not that they were better than us. We knew we just had to play better. The key thing in it all was we never made any excuses. Kevin was hurt, Kyrie was hurt, but we just went about our job on how we could win the game.”

(On LeBron’s role): “Throughout the playoffs, I have never seen a shadow of doubt, fear, or focus on anyone’s face. I have to give LeBron a lot of credit. He is a true leader here. He is vocal, willful, and committed to helping this team succeed. He is really leading these guys to believe in what they can do.”

( On his game tonight): “They put so much attention on LeBron. I knew I would have opportunities out there. It’s easy to let it go when you get the ball and your teammates have that much confidence in you.”

(Did you ever picture yourself in this role?): “A lot of this here is the extra fluff stuff. I have pictured myself making big plays in big games. It’s just really nice to help my team.”

(How does it feel to be booed like LeBron?): “I didn’t really hear that many boos or like they do for LeBron. I played at BYU and Gonzaga and the boos were a lot louder there.”

(What’s it like playing with LeBron?): “It is a great opportunity to watch him work every day and learn from him. One of the greatest things is how he takes care of his body. Playing with him is not a responsibility. It is an opportunity. I just try to make the most of it.”

(Evaluate Jimmy Butler’s defense):“He is a competitor.  That is half the battle.  You got a guy who wants to compete every possession, every night.  He does it on both ends.  They have a good one.”

(On the play of his bench): “We got 40 points off our bench.  Dellavedova and Tristan Thompson came in under extreme circumstances and Delle led our team in scoring.  He made a big impact with the scoring and his defense.  These two guys, as hard as they play, for a coach and me as a leader, you have no problem when they make a mistake because of how hard they play and what their intensity is.  They give everything to the team.  You don’t mind when they make a mistake but you rarely see it.  They are out there just playing hard.  We don’t get this win tonight without their scoring and rebounding and how in tune they were.”

(On the team handing things with everything against them): “When you are the leader of a group, you can’t show any weakness.  These guys wok hard every day when none of you are around.  I am a little bit surprised with how we handled the post season so far.  These guys want to be good, they want to be great.  They prepare the right way and they go out and play with their instincts.  I have to be out there for my guys.  I did not shoot the ball well today.  When that happens, I have to bring leadership and energy.  I have to make them believe they are supernatural.  Tonight these two guys (Dellavedova and Thompson) were terrific.  For me, you can’t coach a motor.  Some guys have it, some guys don’t.  I have the luxury of three guys including Varajao who got injured, with high motors.  Mistakes I don’t worry about.  These guys play so hard and their intentions are for the team.  I have always been a team guy.”

(On the potential for this team): “This one has been a little tough because of the injuries we have had.  We have no room for error.  I just try to clean it up in other ways.”

(On his early season demotion to the bench): “This season, I approach that as a cheat sheet. Coming off the bench after seeing what the competition is doing against the starters helped me. When I went in and punched the clock I had seen what they did, and it helped me learn.”

(What’s it like now going to the finals?): “What a year! This is my 4th year with the Cavs and the previous 3’s we were thinking about the lottery and who we would draft. Now I am playing with this father (LeBron) here. What a ride. I will enjoy this for a day and just get ready for the next opponent.”

(What’s it like playing with LeBron?): “It is a great opportunity. Delly, Kyrie, and I saw the opportunity to play with one of the best. It started from Labor Day when LeBron was the first in the gym and the last one out. We knew we would have to catch up if he does that. It would mean working 3 or 4 times harder than him.”

(Turning points in the game?): “The 2nd quarter was problematic when they went on that run. It is hard to make it up when you are down 14. I thought our defensive start in the 3rd quarter was good, we just couldn’t score. Give them credit, they played very well. LeBron was unbelievable. He beat us with the past. Thompson was a monster on the boards. Congratulations to their organization for winning. I am proud of our guys, and we came up short.”

(Your thoughts on the season): “We did have a lot of injuries. I like the fight in our guys. It was an up and down year, but there was no quit. They hung tough and found a way to win games. We wanted to give it our best shot and it did not work out for us.”

(On the play of Dellavedov): “I thought their bench player really well. When you couple the bench with LeBron, he is going to make you play. LeBron focuses you to put 2 guys on him and if you are not quick in your recovery, they will get open 3’s. They made 12 3’s. It was tough to overcome that, and the rebounding really hurt us.”

(On the team being flat in the 3rd quarter): “I think that the 2nd quarter has been a problem for us the whole series. That took a lot out of us, but I thought the fight was there in the 3rd quarter. We had a shot at it again, we could not get it to even striking distance, and could not get it under 10.”

(On Derrick’s play in this game): “I wanted to say this about Derrick, it was a long year. The good thing is, I think he has regained his confidence. Obviously he had the surgery in the 2nd half of the season. I thought he played very aggressively. You have to remember he has not played in 3 post-seasons. Overall, playing in the last 5 games of the season, and getting this experience is really good for him. I think he will have a great year next year. I think he feels really great about where he is. He would tell you he would want to play better, but I think he has a lot of confidence right now. So that was a positive. It is unfortunate that Pau got hurt, he had a terrific season for us, and Jimmy Butler you cannot say enough about. He was fantastic throughout and obviously he has grown a lot.”

(The 3 point shooting, the difference in the game?): “We have been shooting the 3 pretty well throughout the post season. In the last couple of games you have to give credit to what they have been doing. They did more switching than normal, and they covered up the line well. It is really what LeBron is doing to you. Because of what he is doing, it opens up things for the other guys. If you look at LeBron’s line, he missed shots, but he controlled the game. He got his teammates the open 3’s. He not only had 11 assists, but other plays that led to a 2nd pass and a wide open 3. Our finishing defense could have been a lot better.”

(What is needed to get past LeBron?): “I would say it’s premature right now. When the season ends, what you like to do is decompress and take a long look at it. You want to evaluate what is needed, and move forward. I don’t want to say too much on that now.”

(On how upsetting the loss was): "It will give us a chance to spend time with our family more.  Work on our game more.  And, get better individually for next year."

(On losing to LeBron James): "It could have been anyone.  It's just frustrating to be out of the playoffs, period."

(On what held the team back this season): "Who knows?  That's what's so frustrating this season.  We had our ups and downs but battled our way thru it.  It just didn't end the way we wanted it to.  Things happen like that.  The only thing you can do is learn from your mistakes."

(On the disappointment of the season): "It was very disappointing.  We know that it's over now.  The only thing we can do now is make sure our families are ok.  And, get back to work.  We need to get back on the court as soon as possible and let my body heal a little bit more and get after it this summer."

(On team scoring droughts during the season): "It's very hard but there is nothing we can do about it.  I'm just looking forward to the summer and getting better individually."

(On what Coach Thibs said after the game): "It was really short.  I think he's going to talk more tomorrow."

(Was this a missed opportunity?): “In a way yes, in a way, no.  They played better than us and they won the series.  They did a much better job than we did.  They were in a close-out situation which gives you extra confidence and a burst.  They deserved to move on.  They were banged up.  Unfortunately I had to miss two previous games and couldn’t help my team.  I tried my best to heal but it wasn’t enough.”

(Did this team reach its potential?): “I don’t think so.  This team has more potential than we showed.  In order to be a great team, a championship caliber team, you have to be more consistent.  Injuries have been a factor, but that happens to most teams.  We just have to mature and take this opportunity to grow as a team.  Kind of digest the pain of losing against the Cavs and being eliminated.  Take it all in, work this summer and get ourselves ready for the next round and understand how every game is important in the regular season and how seeding is important.  If you are the higher seed you usually have a better chance.  Maybe things would have been different, but right now nothing we can do.  We just have to let it settle in but this team has more potential to go farther and have a good chance to win the title.”

(What changes do you expect in the offseason?): “I don’t know.  I don’t know if there will be changes.  It’s something management and ownership have to decide.  Every organization goes through it after each season.  Management will evaluate what it thinks is best for this team.”

(On his season this year): “I’m happy with, not the ending, but the season has been extremely positive.  For me, the team at times, has shown great potential and high quality but we have to find more consistency.  We have to understand a better sense of urgency throughout the year.  Understanding how important every regular season game is.  We could have been a better home team than we were throughout the season.  That would have given us a better chance.  But overall, I’m very happy with my decision, very happy to be here with this group of guys, in this city, with this franchise.  I look forward to the next one which I hope is a better one.”

(Are you surprised how it ended tonight?): "Yes, we're all a little disappointed.  I wish we could have that back."

(What happened to the Bulls tonight?): "We had shots, we played very well but we just couldn't get the ball in the bucket.  Just disappointing the way we went out, but proud of this team.  We've been through a lot this year and I love all my teammates.  We just need to regroup."

(If the coaching staff stays the same, do you think you have a shot at the title?): "Yes, that is the goal every year.  We come in every year focused.  Right now we're just a little disappointed and it takes a little time to digest.  Thru a season there are a lot of ups and downs and right now this whole group is down.  Down and disappointed at how the season ended."

(On his limits this years and his goals for next year): "This year wasn't easy but next year my goal is to come out even stronger."

(How do you feel considering at the beginning of the year you had such high hopes?): "Whether it's the semi-finals, the conference finals, there is always only one team that makes it."

(As one of Thib's biggest backers, what are your thoughts and do you hope he stays?): "I think Thibs is a hard worker.  He's always had us prepared and now we just don't know what the situation is.  We all have a lot of great memories."

(What is the hardest thing about the loss tonight?): "No more practice, no more meetings with this group of guys and that hurts."

(What was the biggest team weakness tonight and in the playoffs?): "For whatever reason we couldn't really channel our best effort and that's really been the story all year long.  Since that Game 6 in Milwaukee, we just couldn't get it going.  It's just disappointing.  We have a lot of talent and a lot of high expectations.  If you would have told me at the beginning of the series about all of Cleveland's ailments I would have really liked our chances.  We just have to move on."

(Why do you think there was so much disappointment this season?): "It's tough to say.  I don't think anyone has been able to figure it out.  We just could not figure it out for whatever reason, whether it be chemistry or injuries I just can't put a finger on it.  We just couldn't put it all together."

(Would you like to see Thibs back next season?): "He has done a great job.  He's given us everything he has every single day and anyone would want a coach like that.  We have a lot of great guys in this group and we will better next year."

game-quotes-cavaliers-at-chicago-bulls-may-14

Game Quotes: Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls - May 14

Listen to Radio Play-by-Play announcer John Michael's Call of the Game during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Chicago Bulls on May 14, 2015. Matthew Dellavedova led the Cavaliers with 19 points going 7-11 from the floor including this big triple late in the third.

Escucha a la voz en español de los Cavaliers Rafa "El Alcalde" con la narración de la jugada del partido entre Los Cavaliers de Cleveland y Los Bulls de Chicago en El United Center de Chicago, Illinois el 14 de Mayo del 2015. Los Cavs avanzaron a la Final de la Conferencia del Este al derrotar a Los Bulls 94-73 en su propia casa. Los Cavs fueron liderados por Matthew Dellavedova que termino con 19 puntos convirtiendo 3 triples. Uno de ellos llegó producto de un gran movimiento de balón a la ofensiva cuando Los Cavs empezaban a sellar la victoria.

call-of-the-game-cavs-at-chicago-bulls-may-14

Call of the Game: Cavs at Chicago Bulls - May 14

round-2-game-6-watch-party-at-the-q-may-14-2015

Round 2, Game 6: Watch Party at The Q - May 14, 2015

Cavs.com

round-2-game-6-cavs-at-chicago-bulls-may-14-2015

Round 2, Game 6: Cavs at Chicago Bulls - May 14, 2015

var opponent  = "bulls"; //used in image formatting opponent-dateCode-page.jpg
   var dateCode  = "150514";
   var pageSelectorTag  = "div"
   var pageSelectorClass  = "article-section"
   var pageTitleTag = "h4";
   var pageTitleClass = "key";

Kyrie Irving and Derrick Rose have had some fantastic moments during their teams’ Second Round series. But the two best players on the floor throughout the East Semis have been LeBron James and the man who’s primarily guarded him through the first five games, Jimmy Butler.

“I love going against Jimmy,” said LeBron after Game 5. “I think it brings out the best in myself. And I try to reciprocate back to him.”

Butler – or something – brought out the best in James on Tuesday night, as he turned in a postseason performance for the ages – going off for 38 points on 14-of-24 shooting, adding 12 boards, six assists, three steals and three blocks without committing a single turnover in 41 minutes of action. On any other night against almost any other foe, Butler would have been the story – leading the Bulls with 29 points, nine boards and three assists.

Once again on Thursday night, the Butler-LeBron battle will be the marquee matchup – and the winner of it might decide if there’s a Game 7 on Sunday.

After missing the previous two contests with a strained left hamstring, indications are that Pau Gasol should be ready for action in Game 6.

Like the Cavaliers trying to piece together Kevin Love’s production in his absence, the Bulls have used a combination of Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic to compensate for the All-Star center’s vacancy. After doubling up in all five games against the Bucks, Gasol stayed hot in the Second Round – killing the Cavaliers in Game 1 at The Q. But his production fell off precipitously in the following two contests, including the fourth quarter of Game 3, when he was forced to leave the game with the hamstring issue.

Timofey Mozgov took advantage of Gasol’s absence in Game 4, putting together his best game of the series – 15 points, nine blocks and three blocks. But he followed up with a rough effort on Tuesday night at The Q.

How Timo will perform – and how the Cavaliers will defend the high pick-and-roll – with Gasol back in the middle for Chicago will be a huge factor in Game 6.

Mozgov and Gasol have been big on the glass for their respective teams –and that stat has been the name of the game in the series: the team that has won the battle of the boards has won every game.

The Cavaliers squeaked by Chicago on Tuesday night, 41-40 – thanks largely to another massive rebounding effort by LeBron James, who grabbed a dozen boards in Game 5 and is averaging 11.4 in the Second Round to lead both squads. Gasol (the 2nd-leading rebounder in the Eastern Conference) should be back for Chicago, Kevin Love (who ranked 5th in the East) is out, but the league’s top-rebounding reserve, Tristan Thompson, has been very effective in his starting spot – averaging 9.8 points and 10.5 boards in four games.

Thompson is shooting .615 from the floor during that span and notched his second career playoff double-double on Tuesday night, finishing with 12 points, 10 boards and a pair of blocks. The Wine and Gold got beat in all “hustle-point” categories in last Friday’s loss at the United Center.

If they continue to reverse that trend on Thursday – and, of course, win the battle of the boards – Cleveland can close the series out in six.

It’s unfortunate that, at this stage of the postseason, we have to focus on players’ health, but that’s simply an NBA reality. As Kyrie Irving stated last Saturday, around eight of the ten players on the floor during this time of year are dealing with some kind of injury.

Irving turned in one of the gutsiest performances in Cavaliers playoff history on Tuesday night at The Q – battling through a battery of nagging injuries to bounce back with a 25-point effort, going 9-of-16 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Kyrie had been seriously hobbled in the previous two contests – going a combined 5-for-23 from the floor. But he looked like his All-Star self in Game 5 and the Cavaliers would love nothing more than to see him continue that trend on Thursday night in Chicago.

Derrick Rose has battled the injury bug for most of his career, and he’s nursing a shoulder stinger that was obviously hampering him in Game 5 – especially over the final three quarters, when he went just 2-of-15 from the floor.

Irving and Rose are two of the best point guards in the NBA, but neither is anywhere near 100 percent healthy. The game – and series – might just hinge on which one’s healthier.

Health is once again an issue in terms of the Cavaliers two-guard situation – but in this case, it seems like good news.

Last Friday night, Iman Shumpert was a game-time decision with a groin injury suffered two days’ earlier in Game 2 at The Q. Shump gutted through the injury and J.R. Smith returned from his suspension for support. On Sunday, Shumpert seemed a little closer to himself. And on Tuesday, he looked even better – netting 13 points, seven boards and three blocked shots.

In his first two games after returning from suspension, Smith saved his best for last – netting 20 of his 27 points, going 6-of-8 from beyond the arc, in the fourth quarters of Games 3 and 4. On Tuesday night, Smith was good all night – finishing with a dozen points off the bench and posting a team-high +18 mark while he was on the floor.

Shump has been a life-saver for the Wine and Gold in the postseason and one gets the sense that J.R. is one made three-pointer from having a monster performance. Nobody in NBA history has done it better than Smith in that respect – with 13 games of eight or more treys, 25 with seven or more. If Smith has one of those breakout games on Thursday, the Bulls probably won’t have to worry about coming to Cleveland on Sunday.

five-keys-cavaliers-at-bulls-game-6

Five Keys: Cavaliers at Bulls - Game 6

The Cavaliers are up 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Chicago and can close out the series with a win tonight at the United Center. Tipoff is at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Over the last four games of this series, Cleveland has held Chicago to an average of 93.8 points on .384 (132-344) shooting from the field. In the 106-101 win in Game 5, the Wine and Gold limited the Bulls to under .400 shooting from the field for the third consecutive game as Cleveland limited Chicago to 34-86 (.395) shooting from the field, including 7-25 (.280) shooting from three-point range. In the 2015 Playoffs, Cleveland ranks 2nd in opponent field goal percentage (.412), 2nd in opponent three-point percentage (.316) and 3rd in opponent points per game (94.8).

The Wine and Gold lead all postseason teams in blocks per game at 7.6. With 12 blocks in Game 5 on Tuesday, Cleveland was one block shy of tying their franchise postseason record for blocks in a single game (13 at Chicago on 5/3/1989).

The Cavs have won 33 of their last 34 contests when reaching the century mark in scoring and hold a 47-5 mark when scoring at least 100 points since the beginning of the 2014-15 regular season. Also including the regular season and this year’s playoffs, Cleveland is undefeated when shooting .500 or better from the field at 24-0. In Game 5, the Cavs scored 106 points on a postseason-high 40-79 (.506) shooting from the field.

In Game 5, Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 29 points on 9-18 (.500) shooting from the field to go along with a team-high tying nine rebounds and three assists in 41 minutes. Derrick Rose tallied 16 points, nine rebounds, a game-high seven assists and a game-high tying three steals while Mike Dunleavy added 19 points on 5-8 (.625) shooting from the field, four rebounds and four assists.

Get into the conversation with other die-hards.

Probable Starters/Status Update*presented by Cleveland Clinic

Status Update: Anderson Varejao, (Left Achilles Tendon Rupture, Out), Kevin Love, (Left Shoulder Dislocation, Out)

Bulls: PG - Derrick Rose, SG - Jimmy Butler, SF - Mike Dunleavy PF - Pau Gasol, C - Joakim Noah

Status Update: (Bulls) - Pau Gasol, (Left Hamstring Strain, Probable)

In Game 5, LeBron James registered his sixth double-double in seven games after tallying a 2015 postseason-high 38 points on 14-24 (.583) shooting from the field, 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals, three blocks and zero turnovers in 41 minutes. Since the league began recording turnovers in 1977-78, James is the only NBA player in playoff history to record that stat line while also having zero turnovers.

Kyrie Irving poured in 25 points on 9-16 (.563) shooting from the field, including 3-6 (.500) from three-point range, five assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block in 39 minutes in Game 5. It marked the sixth time in nine playoff games that Irving has posted at least 20 points. It was also Irving’s highest field goal percentage of the postseason.

Tristan Thompson posted his 2nd career playoff double-double after tallying 12 points on 5-7 (.714) shooting from the field, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 39 minutes in Game 5. In four games since being inserted into the starting lineup, Thompson is averaging a near double-double of 9.8 points on .615 shooting from the field, 10.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 36.3 minutes per game.

TV: ESPN, Radio: WTAM 1100, 100.7 WMMS, 87.7 FM La Mega, ESPN Radio

Be sure to tune into #CavsLive pregame show on FOX Sports Ohio starting at 7:30 p.m.

For live in-game updates, follow @cavs, @CavsJoeG, @CavsFredMcLeod, @MrCavalier34, @CavsJMike, @chones22, @FSOAllieOop and @ElalcaldeRafa on Twitter.

If the Cavs win and close out the series, they will move onto the Eastern Conference Finals to play either the Atlanta Hawks or Washington Wizards. If they lose, Game 7 will be in Cleveland on Sunday. View Series Schedule

gameday-preview-game-6-at-chicago-bulls

GameDay Preview: Game 6 at Chicago Bulls

Presented by:

fubo

REMAINING ROUND 2, GAME 4 TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE NOW. <strong><a href="https://seatgeek.com/cleveland-cavaliers-tickets?market=open&amp;aid=15870&amp;pid=web&amp;rid=50624&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_source=cavs_ticketing&amp;utm_campaign=web&amp;utm_content=playofftickets">FIND SEATS &gt;&gt;</a></strong>