After losing game one to the Chicago Bulls, LeBron James took over in game two. James was not happy with his performance the game before and put the loss on his shoulders, sharing that he would make corrections in game two. He absolutely showed why he may be the greatest player in the game; even though he did not grab the MVP. The pick and roll was working beautiful for the Cleveland Cavaliers all night long.
The Cavaliers took charge of the game early and looked like they were going to cruise for an easy win. But in the 3rd quarter Iman Shumpert, who was having a stellar game as he went 4 of 6 from the 3 point arch, went out of the game with an injury and the Chicago Bulls stepped up their defense and went on a 13-0 run to close the gap. Shumpert finished the game with 15 points and 7 rebounds in 29 minutes of play. He finished the game in the locker room, so it will be critical to see what the status for game three will be. However, the Cavs still had a 16 point lead after the run thanks to their big first quarter where they had built a 20 point cushion (38-18).
Kyrie Irving and James Jones both played a solid game for the Cavs. With the injuries that the Cavs are dealing with, their bench is very small and it is crucial for the starters to play many minutes and for them to step up their game. It is also very critical that the starters score as much as possible as there may not be many points coming off the bench. Irving finished with 21 points, while Jones finished with 17 points.
The Chicago Bulls played a mediocre game. There was not an individual that stood up and took over and their stars struggled during big stretches of the game. Derrick Rose scored 14 points and had 10 assists, with 7 rebounds, but he was 6 of 20 from the field and did not control the game in the backcourt. Jimmy Butler scored 18 points, however, he could not be happy with the performance because he was 5 for 14 from the floor, including 2 of 7 from the three point arch. He also had the worst +/- of the night with a -26.
Following the game, James said, “it is all about defense”. If the Cavs continue to play strong defense, he believes they will win the series. They had the edge in rebounds, securing 31 defensive rebounds. Even though it was a small edge, they also forced more turnovers. The defense and the turnovers helped them produce a more efficient offense. In the end, the Cavs quietly slid into a 106-91 victory and tied the series up 1-1.
