GAME NIGHT FROM CLEVELAND:
Bulls (1-3, 1-2 on the road) at Cavaliers (1-2, 1-0 at home)
TV: NBCSC: Neil Funk and Stacey King: 6 PM CT.
RADIO: 670 The Score: Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington, and David Schuster. 5:45 CT pre.
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 21 ppg. Cavaliers: Thompson: 19 ppg.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Markkanen: 10 per. Cavaliers: Love: 15 per.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: LaVine: 4 per. Cavaliers: Love: 4 per.
PREVIEW: The Bulls are hoping to turn things around tonight as they take on a Cavaliers team that is rebuilding with a young backcourt. Yes, the Cavaliers feature veterans Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love, but the Cavs are all about a rebuild, adding piece by piece through the draft with the latest addition being guard Darius Garland drafted fifth overall. The Cavs are hoping the youthful backcourt of Garland and Collin Sexton will lay the foundation for a successful run down the road.
It was a most disappointing loss for the Bulls in NY on Monday as the Bulls led by as many as 18 points only to see New York's Bobby Portis and RJ Barrett take control in the fourth quarter. The Bulls need to apply 48 minutes of defensive intensity and take advantage of open looks when attempting three-point field goal attempts. The Bulls rank 29th in the NBA with a three-point field goal percentage of 27%. The Bulls must also do a better job on the boards as they have been outrebounded in double digits by the opposition in three straight games. The Bulls are giving up a league-high nearly 55 boards per game.
The Bulls must put together a full 48 minutes effort tonight.
24 SECONDS NBA NEWS AND NOTES:
Los Angeles Lakers 120, Memphis 91: Anthony Davis made NBA history posting the quickest 40 points-20 rebounds game. The Chicago product did it in just 31 minutes. Davis went 26-27 from the foul line. His 26 made free throw set a Lakers record. He sat out the entire fourth quarter. He also became the first Laker to record a 40-20 game since Shaq in 2003.
Miami 112, Atlanta 97: The Hawks Trae Young suffered a right ankle injury in the first half and did not return. An MRI is scheduled. Young played in 81 of a possible 82 games last season. The Bulls play the Hawks a week from tonight in Atlanta. Jimmy Butler made his Miami debut and scored 12 of his 21 points in the first quarter. Rookie Tyler Herro, drafted 13th overall, came off the bench and scored 19-second quarter points. Herro finished with 29 points. Butler and Herro combined for 31 free throw attempts. Miami committed 26 turnovers yet won by 15.
Dallas 109, Denver 106: The Mavs are off to a 3-1 start for the first time since 2014. Denver's Nikola Jokic had his second triple-double of the season with a 10-10-10 game.
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