WRAP-UP

In a battle between the East’s two most surprising squads, the Wine and Gold simply ran out of gas – fresh off a wild West Coast trip and a bareknuckle brawl against Brooklyn on Monday in their return.

The Cavaliers came to the Windy City riding a five-game win streak, the Bulls looking to snap a four-game skid. In the end, Chicago took control of the game just before intermission and was able to hold off a Cleveland rally late – taking the 117-104 decision on Wednesday night at the United Center.

The Central Division showdown between two clubs who’ve reversed their fortunes this year was touch-and-go, and the Wine and Gold even taking a seven-point early in the second quarter. But the Bulls closed out the first half on a 10-0 run, and the Cavs were never quite able to find their footing in the second stanza.

The Bulls, playing without Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball, were led by DeMar DeRozan’s game-high 30 points along with Nikola Vucevic’s 24-point, 12-rebound double-double.

Both defensive-minded teams shot the ball well – with the Cavs at 52 percent and the Bulls at 55 percent – but the Chicago took full advantage of 15 Cleveland turnovers, scoring 24 points. Billy Donovan’s squad also outmuscled the Cavaliers in the paint, 58-46.

Lauri Markkanen led the Wine and Gold in his regular season return to Chicago, where he played the first four seasons of his career, netting 28 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including 5-of-9 from long-range, adding seven boards, a steal and a block.

Darius Garland doubled-up for the fifth time in his last six outings – finishing with 20 points and a game-high 12 assists, going 9-for-18 from the floor to go with five rebounds.

Evan Mobley tallied 12 of his 18 points in the first half, going 8-for-12 from the field on the night, adding five boards, two blocks, a steal and a pair of blocked shots.

Kevin Love rounded out the Cavaliers in double-figures with 13 points, eight boards and four assists in 21 productive minutes off the bench.

Jarrett Allen had his double-double streak halted at three games, but still led Cleveland with 10 rebounds, adding three assists and a block.

Miss any of the action? Find all the highlights and photos in the Game Tracker.

FEATURED HIGHLIGHT

Lauri Markkanen cuts to the hoop, takes the Jarrett Allen bounce pass in stride, and thunders home a two-handed slam for the game's first points.

TURNING POINT

The Cavaliers were within striking distance after intermission, but there’s no doubt that the end of the first half changed the complexion of the game the rest of the way.

The Bulls erased Cleveland’s early seven-point edge and even took a brief lead before Lauri Markkanen’s three-pointer put the Cavs back ahead, 50-49, with 3:33 to play in the half. It would be the Cavs final lead of the night.

It also proved to be Cleveland’s final field goal of the quarter – with the Bulls taking advantage of three Cavs turnovers and using a 10-0 run to take a nine-point advantage in the locker room.

The Cavs rallied back from a 10-point deficit to get to within one with 4:18 to play, but the Bulls pulled away from there.

BY THE NUMBERS

By the Numbers - 16.2, .545, .474 … Lauri Markkanen’s scoring average – as well as his shooting percentage from the floor (36-for-66) and from long-range (18-for-38) over his last six games.

The 5th-year pro from Vantaa, Finland is also shooting .875 from the stripe and averaging 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals over that stretch.

QUOTABLE

"People get so caught up in his offensive game – shot-making and shot-taking – that they don’t pay attention to all the other things that he does for us. We would not be able to play the lineup and the size that we play without him and the things that he does to help us. So our focus with him is on that, and how important that is to us. And us being unique and different is because of him and his ability.”

UP NEXT

After falling in Chicago, the Cavaliers return for a much-need three-game homestand, beginning with a Saturday night visit from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, who they knocked off in OKC just seven days earlier.

From there, the Cavs close out January with three of their final four at home – welcoming in the Knicks next Tuesday followed by a visit from the Bucks two nights later. Cleveland closes out the month with a back-to-back the following week – traveling to Detroit on Sunday before returning home to face the Pelicans the following night.