FINAL: Cavaliers 113 - 91. ( 17-7, 9-3) Bulls ( 3-19, 2-8-home)
LEADING SCORER: Bulls: Dunn: 15. Cavaliers: Love and Wade: 24pts, James, 23.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Portis:9 Cavaliers: Love: 13.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Dunn: 5. Cavaliers: James: 6.
CCI 24 SECONDS COMMENTARY: The Bulls were in the ballgame after one quarter trailing 29-22 but the Cavs behind Dwayne Wade put the game away and never looked back. Wade returned to Chicago and poured in 24. Love with 24. James 23-7-6. When the Bulls found themselves down by 15-20 points they reverted back to one on one play and the ball stopped moving.
INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM WITH JUSTIN HOLIDAY: I asked the veteran and one of the leaders on the Bulls to describe the pulse of the Bulls locker room following the team’s ninth straight loss:
“I know we’ve lost a lot of games. We all understand that. We’re going through this very positive. We’re trying to get that next one to get it started for us and we’ll continue until we do it. Our energy is still positive. We still think we can win games. My job is that to make sure we stay positive .”
ONE FINAL CCI THOUGHT: The Cavs are the Cavs. The’ve got superstars , depth and swag. They’ve won twelve in a row and they’re doing this without Thomas, Rose, Thompson and Shumpert. I was impressed with Kris Dunn who is getting better and better. He had a solid game of 15-6-5 game. Good news for fans of Derrick Rose. He will rejoin the team after taking time away to ponder his future. I am a huge Rose fan and always will be on and off the court.
UP NEXT: At Indiana Wednesday
NBA NEWS AND NOTES
The Warriors battled back from a 21 point deficit on the road to top the Pelicans but the bottom line story is the status of Steph Curry who left the arena on crutches after severely spraining his ankle late in the game. Curry had 31 points and 11 assists prior to the injury. Cousins and Durant were ejected.
No Hardaway Jr. ...no Porzingis...No NY win. Indiana 115-97.
Devin Booker lit it up in Philly with 46 - the Suns prevailed 115-101..is it me or has Phoenix been on the road since 1997? CCI wants to know!
Giannis with 40—but...Boston wins over Milwaukee by 11. Kyrie with 32.
Kemba Walker is back...good news for the Hornets as they end a four game losing streak with a victory over Orlando.
They are throwing a party on Beal Street in Memphis— the Grizzlies snapped an eleven game losing streak with a 95-92 win over Minnesota. Jimmy Butler registered his second straight 30 point game but his 3 point field goal attempt with 1.3 seconds left grazed the rim.
The Hawks dropped to 5-18 - Nets by 20
Denver led wire to wire to hand Dallas its 17th loss.
Utah won its sixth straight ripping the Wiz by 47. Wowza.
The once hot Pistons have now lost three straight- LaMarcus Aldridge with a 17-10 game as the Spurs won by 3 in Texas.
Hang in there Bulls fans...I love ya...write me cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls.
Always a pleasure!