What we learned from the Chicago Bulls’ disappointing loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Chicago Bulls waste a golden opportunity of stretching their winning run after losing to the severely depleted Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Chicago Bulls failed to take care of business when they lost to the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers, 95-109, on Saturday. The loss ended the Bulls’ three-game winning streak as they failed to capitalize on the absence of Cleveland’s four key players. Here are a couple of takeaways from Chicago’s disappointing loss.

Gritty Cavaliers

Cleveland played without Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Caris LeVert but escaped with the win by outworking Chicago. The Cavaliers out-rebounded the Bulls, 48-37, and pulled off a huge advantage in offensive rebounding, 15-5.

“It's the grit, it's the physical and mental toughness and it's one of those things where a group of guys just don't want to disappoint one another, so they went out and played the game purely on both ends of the floor, but it just speaks volume of their character and commitment to each other,” Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

Max Strus typified Cleveland’s grit by firing 26 points and scoring 10 of the team’s final 16 points.

MAX. STRUS. YOU ARE NOT HUMAN. 🤯 #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/djf8eezbSp

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 24, 2023

The former Chicago guard also scored eight straight points in a crucial stretch in the fourth period that helped the Cavaliers stave off the rallying Bulls.,

Third-quarter meltdown

Though they struggled to get their game going, the Bulls stayed within striking distance and ended the first half down by just a point, 57-56. The Bulls shot themselves in the foot when they turned sloppy in the third period, where they scored just 16 points while giving away 25.

We love to see it 🤩@NBCSChicago | #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/q30nPohDYf

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 24, 2023

The Bulls’ sloppy third-quarter showing enabled the Cavaliers to post a lead of as many as 17. Chicago threatened within five in the fourth, but Cleveland had an answer as Strus delivered critical baskets to ice the win.

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