Recap: Bulls 108, Cavs 106 (Or, 14: The time the Cavs lost a first-round game)
2010-04-22
Overview: After leading by as many as 21 in the third quarter, the Bulls were able to survive a 38-29 fourth quarter by the Cavs to hold on for a 108-106 victory. LeBron James led all scorers with a line of 39/10/8, and Kirk Hinrich led the Bulls with 27 points on 12 shots.
Game Summary:
Not a good loss for the Cavs. They came out completely flat, failing to run their offense and giving up way too many good looks to Rose and Hinrich. Trying to turn it on after getting down 21 points is not how to win playoff games.
Shaq was ineffective, going 2-8 from the field, committing fouls, and having some serious trouble in the pick-and-roll game. The Cavs had much more success when they went small later in the game, but by then it was too late.
LeBron had a great game, but the Cavs needed a perfect one. He went for 39 points on 26 shots, but didn’t get his teammates involved early. He had 14 points on 13 jumpers, but took some ill-advised heat-checks in the second half and missed five free throws. The main issue is that he didn’t get enough support, but he made some mistakes of his own.
Not enough ball movement, not enough drives to the hole, too much reliance on the three-ball. Mo and LeBron hitting some tough threes off the dribble allowed the Cavs to shoot 40% from beyond the arc, but the Cavs got outscored in the paint for the second straight game. They have to take it to the hole.
The Cavs did everything right down the stretch. They went hyper-small, and that allowed them to turn it into a close game. Delonte made some huge offensive rebounds, LeBron did a great job of defending the paint, Antawn finally started taking it inside, and the Cavs started to hit some threes. It proved to be too little, too late, but it gave everyone a look of just how dangerous this team can be.
Give the Bulls a lot of credit for how they played down the stretch, especially Rose. Rose and Deng made five huge floaters in a three-minute stretch in the fourth to keep the Cavs at bay, and Cleveland probably wouldn’t have broken through if they didn’t hit those shots. You don’t see the floater much anymore, and going hard to the rim is generally the better option, but that shot saved Chicago’s bacon on Thursday.
The Cavs hit some crazy threes to give themselves a chance at Sundiata Gaines-ing the game late, but two crucial errors ended up doing them in. With the Cavs trailing by three with eight seconds to play, Mike Brown told the Cavs to run the scissor-cut set out of a timeout. It would have set Mo Williams up with a good look from the corner, but first the ball went to 66% free throw shooter Anderson Varejao at the elbow. Luol Deng is no fool, and quickly put him on the line. Varejao missed the second one, allowing the Bulls to go to the line and make it a two-possession game.
Mo Williams hit a crazy three to cut the lead to one, but with no timeouts left they weren’t able to set up a play with four seconds to go. They got a look at a game-winner, but that look was a half-court Anthony Parker three off the dribble. That’s not what you want there.
Two big calls hurt the Cavs late. LeBron took the ball right at Deng in transition with the Cavs trailing by three and made it with contact, but got whistled for a charge. In my opinion, it was a 50-50 call. Deng wasn’t stiff as a board, but he wasn’t shuffling when LeBron jumped straight into him. I though it was going to go LeBron’s way when I saw it; if I was a Bulls fan, I probably would’ve thought Deng drew the charge. One of those calls that makes me glad I’m not an NBA ref.
Then there was the non-call on Joakim Noah’s headlock of LeBron when he was going to rebound the ball with the Cavs down one with eight seconds to go. It was off the ball, so it wasn’t an easy call to see, but it was a missed call. You can get mad about it all you want, but the bottom line is that when you play close games, you run the risk of putting the game in the hands of the officials. The Cavs could easily have played well enough to decide the game themselves, but they didn’t.
11 missed free throws in a 2-point game. That’s one thing. When only one of those free throws was missed by a power forward or center, that’s positively maddening. 7-13 for LeBron. 2-5 for Mo Williams, who missed three free throws in the entire month of April heading into this game. Absolutely unacceptable.
I am spitting mad right now. Remember how I used to say that you wanted these kind of games to happen in February? Well, now it’s the playoffs. I don’t buy the “wake-up call” thing either. This team got upset in the playoffs last season. Their best player is a free-agent this off-season. Boston had 2008. LA had last year. Orlando has the future. No team has more pressure on them than the Cavs do, and they’re acting like they don’t need to take every playoff game seriously.
Like I said, if they run through the Bulls in the next two games, I’ll buy the “wake-up call” thing. Right now, all I see is a team that hasn’t won a playoff game on the road this season giving up a playoff game against a 41-41 team to put them three losses away from an unthinkable collapse. With LeBron scoring 38 points. If the Cavs don’t pull it off this season, this is the kind of game that will make LeBron look at his options. If that doesn’t make you terrified, I don’t know what will.
Cavs-Related Bullets:
-I’ve covered most of my LeBron notes. He was absolutely incredible; I’m not sure any other player in the NBA is so much as capable of delivering a performance like that.
There were some mistakes, and those are the plays that will go under the microscope in a close loss. Missed free throws. Heat-check jumpers when the Cavs needed to squeeze every possession. Getting stripped by Noah late. Getting burned by Deng a few times. I hate when LeBron plays this well in losses, because I can’t in good conscience gush about his performance.
-My biggest concern so far is how invisible Varejao has been. Three points and six fouls in 20 minutes tonight for Andy. Not only has Andy been invisible on offense, but he hasn’t been making plays on defense either. He needs to get going.
-Acceptable game from Mo. He didn’t run the offense very well (in fact, the Cavs really didn’t run an offense this game), but he made some big shots and got his points.
-Jamison looked awful when he shot threes early, and great when he went to the basket late. His final line? 19 points on 17 shots, and 11 rebounds. Typical Jamison game + more possessions.
-Delonte didn’t put up points and he had serious trouble staying in front of Rose. He at least looked like himself on the offensive end, hitting an open three, rarely settling for mid-range jumpers, and making some great hustle plays to get the Cavs extra possessions.
-Damed if you do, damned if you don’t with Shaq at this point. The Cavs were clearly better with him off the floor in this game, but need him for the later rounds. I think MB did the right thing by giving him significant burn in the first half and not forcing him back in after the Cavs had success going small.
-Cavs gave up seven points in the four minutes LeBron sat.
Bullets Of Randomness:
-The 31 points on 26 shots isn’t all that impressive from Rose. He did look more aggressive at times, but mostly he made some mid-range jumpers and push shots that he missed in the first two games. Rose not turning the ball over once is much more noteworthy.
-Wow, this team looks completely different when Kirk Hinrich puts up 27/5/5 instead of playing like a zombie. Seriously, where did THAT come from? He has officially moved to the top of my enigma list.
-Anyone else catch the moment where Miller got called for pushing Varejao, then they were both smiling and chatting amicably about it when they came back down the floor? I kind of like the idea of guys like Varejao, Miller and Ginobili being friends when they step off the court and stop getting paid to piss people off.
-Well, if there was ever a good day to lose a close playoff game, it was probably NBA Draft day. Tomorrow’s top basketball headline will probably be about Joe Haden’s days as a high school point guard. Until later, guys.
This is my favorite place to read about the Cavs, but it is indeed alarmist to bring up the prospect of an “unthinkable collapse”, and the “terrifying prospect of LeBron considering his options” after one playoff loss in which there were indeed bright spots.
haha.. should have said AV and JJ or Jamison and JJ. Can’t type tonight.
Sorry, if we’re NOT going to play him anyway*
@Rich I understand the argument that the Cavs need to get Shaq, and to a lesser extent Z, going for later but I would argue that they aren’t doing that. I realize Shaq has been in foul trouble but at some point you have to let him play through it don’t you? If Brown feels like he can win games without playing Shaq, as he did most of the second half of game 2, then whats the difference if he fouls out? We definitely need Shaq for later on, but if we’re going to play him anyway, lets run AV… Read more »
Oh, and for the guy who thinks the Cavs have a sorry roster and LeBron isn’t getting help. You cited Dallas as a team with more talent, take a gander at that series. Currently, the game (3) is on it is up in the air. Dirk is yet again carrying that team and here they are possibly going down 1-2. If the arguement is LeBron isn’t getting help this series (Which I disagree with) can we also say that Dirk is getting no help? And does that mean that Dallas isn’t that talented?
But TVWOC, we have recent history to not be concerned about whether or not the Cavs lose this next game or simply don’t win by enough. Again, the 08 Celtics lost 3 games in the first round to the THIRTY SEVEN win Hawks. That is right…eight games under .500. The Celtics had 67 wins. In two of those games, they got completely hammered by the Hawks. They followed that up with an even closer 7 game series with the 45 win cavs. In the first two series they walked away with 0 road wins. Just about everyone and their mother… Read more »
@Rich If the Cavs don’t run the Bulls out of the gym on sunday then I will be Seriously concerned about the Cavs title chances. I am in the “Cavs need to stop playing only in the 4th quarter” camp. The Bulls are not that good and if we can’t beat them then we have no chance against Orlando or the Lakers. I mentioned here a month or so ago that I was concerned because playing all-out for the entire game is very difficult to just switch on in the middle of the playoffs. If the Cavs can’t somehow turn… Read more »
I got a feeling the Cavs run the Bulls out of the gym in game 4, but it’s just a feeling. I want to know who does Hickson possibly play for? It isn’t like Z is getting a bunch of minutes for him to take. So does he take Shaqs minutes or Varejaos minutes? Personally, they are both mor important to this teams ultimate goal than Hickson is, and I’m not ok with giving up their minutes for his. Thoughts?
If Chicago wins another game, then I’ll be concerned. But I take solace in the fact that no recent champion has had a remotely easy time in the early rounds. Seriously, no first- or second-round sweeps since the 2002 Lakers back when they still played 3-game series. Maybe it’s not good that we lost, but on the other hand it really could be a good thing. We at least know it doesn’t preclude future success. I was hoping we’d pull the Bulls not because I thought it would be easy, but because I felt that they could play us tougher… Read more »
to Mike, His reasoning is very simple. We can’t beat the Magic and/or the Lakers without Shaq and Z’s size. JJ is the odd man out for those series later. We need to get Shaq back in groove and to a lesser extent, Z as well. Since Bron plays quite a bit at the four as well, there are just no minutes for JJ given our long term plans. It kind of puts the pressure on Jamison to cut like crazy with the first unit. He has to remember that and Bron needs to look for him. But it is… Read more »
to ben tej, 6 of the 13 came in the first quarter. That is usually when we are at our best and it is no coincidence it is usually the time when LeBron is looking to get other guys involved off of his drives. He messed up our whole offensive sync early by ditching the offensive in order to look like he has a good jumper now. It was just dumb basketball. It really was too bad they got discouraged so early with the missed layups. We had about 4 point blank shots in the first quarter off of great… Read more »
I don’t know that getting JJ more PT would have the Cavs up 3-0 with 3 easy victories, I’m definitely not an NBA talent scout. It would be nice though if someone, either Coach Brown himself or maybe even Windy to at least get an answer to the question of why he’s not seeing the floor. I trust that Brown knows what he’s doing I would just be interested in hearing the reasoning.
Another thing that didn’t help: when Shaquille O’Neal missed a WIDE-OPEN TWO HANDED DUNK.
Just to advance discussions of LeBron’s shot selection, here are LeBron’s regular season averages on shots at the rim versus shots from 16ft or greater. I think his shot selection was a little bit better last night than many of us (even me before I looked up the numbers) are giving him credit for. LeBron’s shots at rim for the regular season: 5 FGs, 6.8 FGAs LeBron’s shots from >16ft for the regular season: 3.9 FGs, 10.5 FGAs Against the Bulls this year: 11/5: Rim: 6 FGs, 7 FGAs; >16ft: 3 FGs, 10 FGAs 12/4: Rim: 4 FGs, 9 FGAs;… Read more »
BTW, we are all arguing over this problem and that problem. When you look at the numbers it is hard to deny that the real problem was our bench. Varejao, Z, and Delonte giving us a COMBINED 10 points. I mean, that is WAY unacceptable from guys of their caliber. Play to their normal standards, and we win fairly easily.
Also, I’m not against Hickson getting Zs minutes this series. I haven’t liked what Z has given this team all year, but you guys knew that already.
Good lord, chill out people. You have no idea what my “tone” is in typed out words so just take it easy.
Just to someone above, Shaq was our center during our 13 game win streak, not Hickson.
It’s one loss. It’s not a huge deal. You can’t sweep everybody. Heinrich shot the lights out. Some questionable calls down the stretch. Sloppy play to start the game. On the road. Not worried yet, although every time Lebron goes off and the team loses, that doesn’t help the case.
Also, I’m pretty sure I could do without the very condescending “I told you so tone” coming from Rich.
I think MB is using this series to work shaq back in even though our smaller line up could have won last night’s game. It’s a reasonable strategy for later rounds. Shaq needs to be comfortable and our guys need to know where he is and what he is going to do. Those two two weird turnovers in the first quarter, where Mo couldn’t find him in the post are not the signs of a synced squad. Nevertheless, I want to see more Hickson, and Z on the floor with Varajao. And some all around defense, for godsake; that Bulls… Read more »
buncha drama queens/know-it-all Cavs fans up on this post.
GO CAVALIERS!
@Ben:
Completely agree on the jumpers part. In the first half, I even said (after a missed jumper ), “LeBron, you proved your point the other night, go to the basket!”
Unfortunately, I didn’t yell loud enough for LeBron to hear me through the tv.
LeBron played quite a good second half, but his first half, (by best player on the planet standards) was rather awful. He held the ball like he hasn’t done in a long time, and looked for his jumper. Awful. I don’t know about anyone else, but why does the best player on the planet feel the need to prove to anyone that he can shoot a jump shot. He should focus on playing the best ball that he can instead of letting way less talented people get into his head. All that being said, I am also ok with us… Read more »
Guys! We’re turning against one another! This is exactly what the Bulls want us to do!
Dude… I’m kinda happy we lost. In the past few years, championship teams haven’t treated the first two rounds that seriously (Boston vs. Atlanta and LA vs. Houston, for example). I know this is unscientific, but I have a gut feeling that we’re headed for something good this year.
And btw, it would not be crazy if the Cavs lost to ORL (even if LBJ is playing at a crazy good level). ORL is just stacked… you have to accept it. If any team can beat the Cavs at full strength, it’s the Magic.
RUST, RUST, RUST! Game 1 was an adrenaline game, games 2 & 3 are practically what we saw the first 6 games of the season (including a loss to Chicago @ home). Incorporating a 330 pound, 38 year old monster who hasn’t played in months not only impacts him, but the team as well. Add in all the meaningless rest Mike Brown gave various starters over the last two weeks (bad move imho, playoffs are so spaced out for tv, they aren’t the grind they once were), and the cavs are just out of sync. Glad its happening against Chicago…remember… Read more »
Exactly… in two of the four games, Shaq did NOTHING! ;)
“Chicago has given Shaq trouble all year… ALL year.” ?
Nov. 5: 31 min., 14 pts, 7-13 FG, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks
Dec. 4: 18 min., 8 pts, 4-5 FG, 7 rebounds,
Mar. 19: injured
Apr. 8: injured
Shaq, Z, and Andy:
Combined 45 minutes, 9 points, 11 rebounds, 2-9 FG
Z = -8, Shaq = -5, Andy = +1
Surely if this happens again, Mr. Hickson should receive at least a full minute of PT.
I must be the only person who was happy about the Cavs losing, because it means a guaranteed game 5 at home, which means a greater chance for the organization to turn a profit before the playoffs are finished. Basketball is first and foremost a business, and Gilbert needs to be rewarded for pumping money into this team.
Anyone concerned about Shaq shouldn’t be. Chicago has given Shaq trouble all year… ALL year. For some reason, Shaq just hasn’t been able to play well against Chicago, for whatever reason (I refuse to acknowledge Brad Miller… though he’s part of the reason).
This is the only thing that worries me, as it has all year ———–> 20-31 64.5% of FT. I’m not saying they need to be perfect but last time I checked 64.5% was not a passing grade. If they shoot 70%, the game goeas to OT. I don’t think its too much to ask for a professional basketball team to make 70% of their FTs.
“I live in Chicago and watched this at a locals bar last night. It actually put things into perspective. I was getting really pissed off at this guy at the bar cheering like an a-hole at every inexplicable Hinrich field goal, but then by the third quarter him and his friend started chanting, “Five game series! Five game series!” That put things into perspective.” Ha, that is pretty funny. I also found it odd to see random Bulls fans on my facebook friend’s list celebrating the win last night like they had won the series. I think most Bulls fans… Read more »
I live in Chicago and watched this at a locals bar last night. It actually put things into perspective. I was getting really pissed off at this guy at the bar cheering like an a-hole at every inexplicable Hinrich field goal, but then by the third quarter him and his friend started chanting, “Five game series! Five game series!” That put things into perspective. I’m not too worried about the loss. They needed to take their first beating in an early series, rather than the EC Finals. I predict this is the last stick Chicago throws at the bear before… Read more »
Ok. Rich is mostly correct.
Except about Lebron.
He’s playing playoff basketball out of his or anyone else’s mind.
Just like he did last year.
Sure, it wasn’t enough last year and there’s a 50% chance it won’t be enough this year.
But there’s 50% he’ll win the championship for Cleveland and begin to make the world recognize perhaps the greatest athlete the world has ever seen.
He’s aiming for the stratosphere. Why should it be easy?
5
make the world recognize perhaps the greatest athlete the world has ever seen
If Mike Brown wants to know why the defense is struggling so much, maybe he should look to the fact that his rotation minutes are given heavily to 3 players (shaq, z, and anthony parker) who are in their mid to late 30s and are largely immobile, and who, at best, are not a detriment to the team, and who, at worst are poisonous to our chances. That is something we’ve known the whole season, and you cannot expect these dudes to suddenly find the fountain of youth after 82 games. I would like to see an 8-man rotation that… Read more »
Krolik: As a member of the True Hoop Network, do you have access to Elias Sports Bureau wares? If so, can you find out whose d*^k J.J. Hickson has to suck to get some minutes? Let’s be real, it’s not the help/lack of help in games like this that is going to make LeBron consider his options, it’s Mike Brown’s inability to use the necessary talent for more than the final quarter. The last several games have shown that a small line-up works against the Bulls. One that doesn’t have Z or Shaq in it in the 4th quarter. If… Read more »
We basically played the same game except we didnt shoot as well on offense until it was too late. Chicago executed the same plays and this time Hinrich got hot…Rose is still the man for them and Noah still gets his rebounds and hustle plays. Our guards dont do much of anything early on…our bigs are completely useless minus Jamison…and we continue to let them penetrate in the middle into the paint…isnt our defensive philosophy ‘shrink the floor’ The two bogus calls at the end really need to get looked at. I know it shouldnt have come down to those…but… Read more »
I’m still trying to reconcile the game I saw last night with the Cavs team that I know. The bottom line is that the Cavs did not come out fighting. The whole first half went by with a very laid-back attitude towards rebounds. They did that thing they occasionally do, where they just pass the ball around the perimeter until someone thinks they might have a decent shot, take the shot and then turn their backs on the rebound. To me, the disturbing thing about game #3 is not the lack of ability, but the lack of interest. It was… Read more »
Stopping Rose is the key to it all. Seems like Mo and Delonte had trouble defending him one-on-one in the first half, he was blowing by them off the dribble and getting into the lane. So in the second half they took a big out to double him at the top of the key, but that left someone like Noah underneath to convert against a help defender. Or, they’d kick it out to Hinrich who was making shots for some reason. They’ve got to find a way to stop Rose from getting into the paint off of the dribble. Easier… Read more »
Man what happened to the chilled feel round here? No one was trying to have a go at anyone particularly I don’t think. I guess it’s hard to judge people’s tone through raw text but y’know, we’re all cavs fans here, winning or losing. 1..2..3..TEAM :-)
And for the record I agree that this team is stacked now. There are no excuses. LeBron has all the pieces to win this thing.
OK, the Orlando series could go either way, they’re good enough to beat us. But until Chris Paul or Dwight Howard get traded to us I think we’re pretty much as good as we’re gonna get.
I think a few people need to chill. It feels like the cavsfanatic board. I’m not concerned about this series. Nothing happened out there that made me think that the Cavs are in trouble. If we win Sunday it’s game over for the Bulls. I shall reserve my judgements until then. As for now, I’m happy for this series to be drawn out a bit. Hopefully it’ll get us into the playoff zone for what should be a fun series against the Celtics. There’s no shame in not winning every game. LAL and ORL regularly went 6 or 7 games… Read more »
And Krolik, I didn’t mean to “rip” you. I just got pretty pissed at the statement of “this is a team that hasn’t won a playoff game on the road and these are the type of games that make you think LeBron could leave (no it isn’t word for word, I know).” I mean that is just extremely reactionary.
There is no way in the world one can say that Denver has a more talented team. The differene between the two benches alone makes the Cavs a more talented team. Again, LeBron doesn’t have the top talent Kobe has, but overall quality, from the 1st to the 10th man, this Cavs team is probably the deepest in the league. Sorry, the Lakers have no bench. Look at the performacnes of their bench this series. Odom..and then……..not a soul. Sadly, we are suddenly getting the same from our bench except for Moon in game 2. I dunno what in the… Read more »
@Nick – LOL at your bringing up Shaq the All-Star MVP as proof that the Cavs are the most talented team in the league. Seriously, that’s good stuff. @Ace – Orlando has more talent than the Cavs, the Lakers probably do just because Gasol is an all-star. Maybe the Nuggets, but outside of that, the Cavs are up there. They don’t have “star power” outside LeBron but they have some nice pieces. Also, they have plenty of athletes, they just choose to play Shaq and Z because they know they will need the bodies to match up against Howard and… Read more »
And out come the trolls…
@Nick. while this is clearly the best team lebron has played with so far, i would not go out and say that he has a better supporting cast than anyone out there though. Past all-star games are irrelevant when you are evaluating your current team’s roster. Not a single guy on our team made the all-star game THIS year except for Lebron (and did anyone deserve to? probably not). I’m not trying to bash our team, I love our team, but I think you are over-exaggerating the quality of our team w/out lebron. If we swapped Kobe onto the cavs,… Read more »
@Rich “I personally am done defending LeBron with the old “he needs help” routine. The guy has maybe the most talented team in the league (top to bottom) and had Jamison who went 19 and 11 and mo Williams who went 5-11 from 3.” Do you know anything about basketball? You think the Cavs are the most talented team in the League? What a joke. Minus their best player (which is your point right?) the Lakers (Pau, Bynum, Odom, Artest), the Magic (Nelson, Lewis, Carter, Pietrus, etc.), Denver (Billups, JR Smith, NeNe), Dallas (Kidd, Butler, Marion, Terry, Haywood) are ALL… Read more »
Two strikes, Bonerfied.
I agree. For a man named “The King” to have 2 MVP’s (we all know he’s getting it), no championships, and the most talent saturated team since 2004’s Lakers (minus that teams bench), he NEEDS to win otherwise the hype NEEDS to stop. Shaq despite his age (and help from Kobe) was last years All-Star MVP, Mo was an all-star, Jamison too, and of course Ilgauskas was in 2001. The point is, when you consider their starting lineup AND bench depth, this team might be the best in nearly a decade. If LeBron can’t win with this team, then he… Read more »
RIch, I am classy you peasant.
I’m sorry, but I know you’re a virgin. It’s ok, a lot of girls think it’s kewl. Prob not the hot ones, but oh well…
just admit it.
Oh, and I personally am done defending LeBron with the old “he needs help” routine. The guy has maybe the most talented team in the league (top to bottom) and had Jamison who went 19 and 11 and mo Williams who went 5-11 from 3. To me, this is it for LeBron. Hard to look around and want to leave town because you lost, when you have as much overall talent on your team as anyone. The superstar gets the praise when he wins, and he should also get the blame when he loses. 6 missed FTs. He makes 3… Read more »
If saying “stop panicking” is ripping what you write, then I guess I’ll stop ripping you? I mean..really? When I write responses to people like Povtak, that is ripping. Or Terrence Moore, or Jay Mariotti. The above didn’t even slightly insult you. And lol at bonerfied. Stay classy. There is no way of knowing what L.A. would or wouldn’t be, nor should we care. This Bulls team is better than 41-41. Their 10 game losing streak was w/o Noah and most of it w/o Deng. This team had injuries, major injuries, to its’ three best players at some point in… Read more »
Rich, I didn’t say it was an easy match-up, I said it was a better matchup than the Raptors would have posed with Bosh playing. (And I assumed he would have.) Here’s what I wrote about the potential matchup: “The Raptors are only a game up on the Bulls, who are absolutely the team I want the Cavs to see in the first round. Although even the Bulls did put up that fight against Boston last season. And Derrick Rose could give Mo fits. And they’ve defended LeBron really well in the past. I’m going to be freaking out until… Read more »
There is a reason to panic. The bulls are nowhere near as good as the thunder are. If LA was playing in this series it would be 3-0 now. I’m not a Lakers fan I’m just speaking the truth. We need to play better all four quarters. This series should be a sweep.
Stfu Rich, you sound like a virgin.
You are. I’m sure of it. Aren’t you?
Krolik, just admit you were wrong about this being an easy match-up for the Cavs and you wn’t be so mad. They were 2-2 in the regular season for a reason. I told you that this was not the best match-up ever. You, however, were convinced it was. The Cavs are not going to run this team over because they can’t guard Rose. Realize it’s going to be tough and stop panicking. Did Boston not lose three teams to a 37 win team in the first round in 08? Did the Magic not lose twice to last years sixers? It… Read more »
i would classify this as a “good loss”. watching how the cavs can play when they are trying 100% (i.e. at the end of the fourth quarter) was beautiful. you could tell chicago was scared.
the cavs just have to bring it like that more than one quarter next game and it’ll be cakewalk.
Don’t be mad. The Cavs did many things wrong and the Bulls did many things right (like shooting 50% FG on 84 shots). Well.. I guess you could be mad.. but it’s not worth looking too much into it. These Bulls are going to be aggressive for the rest of the series, but they can’t back it up offensively like they did tonight. “You can get mad about it all you want, but the bottom line is that when you play close games, you run the risk of putting the game in the hands of the officials.” <– well said,… Read more »