After four straight losses, the Chicago Bulls emerged victorious at the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers. Billy Donovan’s men solved a game in which they were ahead from the end of the second quarter (117-104) with a good final partial. DeMar DeRozan was once again the scoring leader for his team.
This victory carries great weight for the Chicagoans, as they were missing several of their key players. Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball are still apart with physical problems. Also, the ghosts of the past returned in the fourth quarter when Cleveland cut the lead to just one point. But the Bulls learned from their mistakes against Boston and finished the game with a 14-2 run to seal the win.
DeMar DeRozan returned to his usual form on offense and led his team with 30 points. He left the game with 14 of 24 in field goals and also added seven assists. Nikola Vucevic didn’t have his best day shooting from outside the zone, but he still had a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds.
On the Cavs, the standout player was Darius Garland. The young point guard is still looking for his All-Star spot and finished the game with 20 points and 12 assists. Lauri Markkanen also performed above his usual level, vindicating himself against his former team. The Finn finished the game with 28 points, his best mark this season.
With this victory, the Chicago Bulls have a record of 28-15 and remain in first place in the Eastern Conference. After the game, DeRozan wanted to assess Caruso’s return to the team and dedicated some affectionate words to him: «Alex is like that university professor who is always preaching a thesis. His voice in the locker room before going out on court or at half-time is something we lean on and feed on. It was great to have him back,” DeMar confessed.
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