After the injuries of Lavin and Ball, the Bulls' losing streak continues, and they have now experienced a 4-game losing streak, and this 4-game losing streak has gradually disappeared the dividends they have eaten from their previous 9 consecutive wins. The Heat Nets and other teams are getting smaller and smaller from them, and from 1st to 5th in the East, it is only a two-win difference. As the season progressed, the Bulls' problems gradually became exposed, and their four-core lineup was not indestructible, ranking second in the league in rebounds per game, and their average interior scores per game were also in the league.
They will face the Cavaliers, who are known for their big men, and the Cavaliers are now gaining momentum, with a five-game winning streak that has put them back in fourth place in the East. The Cavaliers are currently in the opposite direction of the Bulls, who are worried about the guard. Sexton and Rubio have been injured, and the newly introduced Rondo is also suffering from injuries, which has brought them back to their previous predicament.
Markkanen hit three consecutive three-pointers in the first quarter, and when a big man shoots three-pointers from the perimeter, there's nothing you can do but watch him hit. Rookie Mobley scored consecutively on the inside, with Vucevic unable to resist, and although White scored 10 points, the Bulls were five points behind. In the second quarter, DeRozan showed his housekeeping skills, shooting consecutive shots from various angles to blast 16 points in a single quarter. This time the Bulls scored 34 points, while the Cavaliers only had 20 points in hand, so under DeRozan's leadership, the Bulls completed the comeback and led by nine points.
Easy to fight again, the comeback Caruso finally found a sense of existence, relying on skillful hand to add 7 points to the team, Vucevic found face on the inside, and successively won in an attempt to widen the point difference. But the Cavaliers didn't let the Bulls succeed, and Markkanen blasted 12 points in a single quarter, biting the point difference to 9 points. In the final quarter, Mobley scored consecutive mid-range shots, and DeRozan responded with a mid-range shot, but the Cavaliers narrowed the gap to one point. However, the consecutive hits of Vucevic and Daussom once again helped the Bulls play an offensive climax, and the point difference instantly reached double digits, and the game lost suspense, and finally the Bulls defeated the Cavaliers 117-104.
After Ball's absence, the Bulls were still able to control the mistakes at 7, which was very good, and DeRozan, who had suppressed several games, was finally released, scoring 30 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks in 35 minutes. If you watch the game carefully, you will find that DeRozan did not shoot a three-point shot in this game, but he also cut 30+ by relying on his ability to shoot in the house. Vucevic was a good stat with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists, and Dawsum also had 18 points, 8 assists and 2 steals, which alleviated the impact of Bauer's absence to some extent.
The impact of the Cavaliers' lack of defenders is infinitely magnified in this game, and although the whole team has 27 assists, 12 of them are from Garland, which undoubtedly puts great pressure on Garland. Now hope that Rondo can return soon and alleviate the impact of the scarcity of team defenders, Markkanen felt hot in the face of the old owner, and handed over 28 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block in 33 minutes.