CLEVELAND (AFP) - Cleveland superstar LeBron James scored 33 points on Wednesday to lead the Cavaliers to a 106-91 victory over Chicago that knotted their NBA playoff series at one game apiece.

After connecting on just nine of 22 shots in Monday's 99-92 game-one defeat, he came out hot against the Bulls.

He scored 22 points in the first half as the Cavs bounced back to even the best-of-seven Eastern Conference second-round series before it shifts to Chicago for the next two games.

James said: "Our backs were against the wall. We can't go down 2-0 on our home floor."

The Cavaliers controlled play except for a two-minute span in the third quarter when the Bulls scored 14 straight points.

Kyrie Irving added 21 points for Cleveland who are without big man Kevin Love for the series because of a shoulder injury.

Jimmy Butler scored 18 points to lead Chicago, with Derrick Rose contributing 14 points and 10 assists.