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Desperate Cavs host Bulls Wednesday
By: Zach Cohen - StatFox
Published: 5/6/2015  at  12:10:00 PM
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CHICAGO BULLS (55-34)

at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (57-30)

NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference - Semifinals
Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: Cleveland -5.5, Total: 194.5

The Cavaliers attempt to even up the series at 1-1 when they host the Bulls in Game 2 Wednesday.

The Bulls turned in a vintage performance on Monday, defeating the Cavaliers 99-92 as 4.5-point underdogs in Cleveland to take a 1-0 series lead. Chicago won that game by playing well on the defensive end, holding the Cavaliers to just 34-of-81 shooting from the field. The Bulls were also better on the glass, outrebounding Cleveland 51-45. The Cavs will need to be tougher and also find a way to get some easy baskets on Wednesday. Before losing Game 1, the Cavaliers had won two home games in a row SU against the Bulls. Four straight games played between these teams at Quicken Loans Arena have gone Under the total. The Bulls are a lousy 7-18 ATS when coming off of a road win this season and that will be trouble as they face a Cavaliers team that is 64-41 ATS in home games after playing four straight games as a favorite since 1996. The Bulls enter this game completely healthy, but the Cavs will be without SG J.R. Smith (Suspension) for another game and PF Kevin Love (Shoulder) and C Anderson Varejao (Achilles) for the remainder of the year.

The Bulls picked up a huge victory in Game 1 and SG Jimmy Butler (24.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.6 SPG in playoffs) played great on both ends of the floor. He kept LeBron James from dominating offensively and also had 20 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals of his own. He’ll need to continue to work hard and do his best to contain the best player in the NBA. PF Pau Gasol (17.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.6 BPG in playoffs) was unstoppable on Monday, finishing with 21 points, 10 boards, four assists and four blocks in 35 minutes of action. With Kevin Love out for Cleveland, Gasol is being counted on to give the Bulls a major advantage at the power forward position. He’ll need to stay aggressive when the teams clash on Wednesday. PG Derrick Rose (19.9 PPG, 6.3 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.4 SPG in playoffs) looked like his old self in Game 1, pouring in 25 points, five boards, five rebounds and a steal in 39 minutes of action. Many expected Kyrie Irving to get the better of the former MVP in this series, but Rose showed that he is here to compete on Monday and must keep it up moving forward. SF Mike Dunleavy (11.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.9 APG in playoffs) will remain an x-factor for the Bulls in this series. Over the past two games, the forward is averaging 17.0 PPG and is 7-for-10 from the outside. If he can keep knocking down shots from behind the arc then it will be tough for the Cavaliers to help out on any of Chicago’s dynamic scorers.

The Cavaliers will be a desperate team when they take the floor on Wednesday. SF LeBron James (25.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 7.0 APG, 2.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG in playoffs) was not as efficient of a scorer in Game 1 as he needs to be. He had 15 rebounds and nine assists in the game, but he only scored 19 points on 9-for-22 shooting. He was settling for a lot of jumpers and must attack the basket from the start of the game on Wednesday. PG Kyrie Irving (24.6 PPG, 4.6 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.0 SPG) had 30 points and six assists in 44 minutes in Game 1. Irving played well offensively, but he must do a better job on the defensive end in Game 2. He’d also be wise to keep going to the basket with Derrick Rose guarding him. C Timofey Mozgov (9.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.6 BPG in playoffs) did not make much of an impact on Monday. He had just nine points and five boards in 26 minutes of action and will need to do a better job on Wednesday. If he is not rebounding the ball and defending the rim then the Cavaliers do not need to have him on the floor. One player who has really stepped it up for Cleveland is SG Iman Shumpert (10.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.0 SPG in playoffs). He had 22 points in 41 minutes in Game 1 and that came after a 15-point, 10-rebound performance against the Celtics in Game 4 of the first round. He is playing with a lot of confidence and will be counted on to continue providing energy.


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