Cleveland Cavaliers look to maintain mastery of Chicago Bulls in NBA

CHICAGO – The league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers twice defeated the Chicago Bulls during a season-opening 15-game National Basketball Association (NBA) winning streak.

On March 4 (March 5, Singapore time), they aim to extend their latest double-digit surge at the expense of their hosts.

Cleveland are riding on a 10-game winning streak into the clash with the struggling Bulls, their third run this season of at least that many games. But while they became the first NBA team this campaign to earn 50 victories, their latest spurt includes a bit of novelty.

The Cavs played their first overtime game of the season on March 2, edging out the Portland Trail Blazers 133-129.

They have also needed to channel their comeback ability lately; they have won consecutive games after trailing by 18 points or more for the first time since the 1997-98 season.

There is no doubt that there is a bit of wobble, and the Cavs hope to play from ahead against the Bulls while ideally finding a rhythm both offensively and overall.

Cleveland felt restricted throughout the Portland game, which featured a combined 53 personal fouls and 70 free throws. That, too, presented the team with a different wrinkle.

“There’s a lot of whistles out there (March 2), but I think we did a good job playing through it and not letting it affect our game plan,” said De’Andre Hunter, who had 32 points.

Despite losing eight of their past 10 games, the Bulls (24-37) entered this week 10th in the Eastern Conference and in the final spot for the play-in tournament, ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets.

After rallying from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to top the visiting Toronto Raptors on Feb 28, Chicago struggled in the 127-112 road loss to the Indiana Pacers on March 2.

Problems with physicality and finishing in the closing stages resurfaced for the Bulls.

Missing big man Nikola Vucevic (right calf tightness) for the fourth straight game, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said his team must toughen up.

“We’ve got to get better,” he said. “Some of our younger guys being exposed in those situations, close to the basket, loose balls, jump-ball situations. Those kinds of things we need to get better at. Some of those teams when they look to change momentum in a game, generally the way you change momentum in a game is not by making shots... it’s generally ramping up the physicality.”

Coby White has averaged 25 points in the past two games for the Bulls but one man may not be enough, as Cleveland aim to maintain their recent dominance in the series.

The Cavs have won nine of their past 10 meetings, including victories by six and 18 points in Chicago and Cleveland respectively in mid-November.

Cleveland will be without one of their stars Evan Mobley due to a scheduled rest, same as what the team did with Donovan Mitchell against the Trail Blazers.

“March is a beast. Sixteen games in 29 days,” said coach Kenny Atkinson. “And if our No. 1 goal is to stay healthy coming into the play-offs, we have to be strategic in what we’re doing.” REUTERS