Cleveland Cavaliers ignore trade rumors, beat Bulls 103-94 on trade deadline eve; tough decisions await – cleveland.com

CHICAGO — Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the game before the NBA trade deadline is like “no other.”

The rumors. The uncertainty. The emotions. It’s the most difficult time of the year. The Cavaliers were able to block out the noise, opening their four-game road trip with a 103-94 win over the Chicago Bulls.

Without leading scorer Collin Sexton, who was a late addition to the injury report because of hamstring soreness, the Cavs needed everyone to do a little more. No one player is capable of filling Sexton’s shoes.

On Wednesday night, all 11 players scored at least one basket.

Second-year point guard Darius Garland, who doesn’t have to worry about being traded, led a balanced attack with 22 points, including 14 in the second half, on 8-of-20 shooting. His corner triple around the three-minute mark of the fourth quarter pushed the Cavs’ lead back to double digits at a time when the Bulls were trying to make a late surge.

Garland also dished out a team-high nine assists, giving Cleveland the kind of snappy ball movement that’s been sporadic this season. In all, the Cavs had 28 assists on 42 made shots.

“Darius is a good player. He’s growing into a leadership role. He understands what it takes when he has the ball in his hands. He’s figuring out his spots where he takes the shot or when he needs to create for other people,” Bickerstaff said. “We’ve been talking about it all year, we started talking about it over the summer, he was taking big strides and we knew he was going to have a big year for us. I think he’s continued to show that growth and maturity in his game.”

Jarrett Allen — likely Cleveland’s most impactful deadline addition, arriving in a trade from Brooklyn about two months ago — added 19 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two steals and one assist in 34 minutes. Larry Nance Jr., starting for injured Kevin Love once again, stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block. Rookie Isaac Okoro (12 points) and Dean Wade (10) also reached double figures.

Cedi Osman, who has been at the center of trade chatter, started for Sexton and chipped in with eight points, going 4-of-14 from the field in what could be his final game with the Cavaliers.

JaVale McGee, another name in the rumor mill and linked to a few different contenders, didn’t get any action.

“I thought our guys were in the fight together,” Bickerstaff said about whether the trade deadline was a distraction. “I didn’t notice any hangover or any doubt or anything like that. I thought our guys were really sound and they were together, which is most important.”

For one night, the Cavs’ defense returned, holding the Bulls below the 100-point mark on 44.6% from the field and 28.6% from 3-point range. Zach LaVine, who had scored at least 40 points in the previous two games against Cleveland, was held to four points in the second half and 22 overall on 8-of-20 shooting.

“Isaac Okoro,” Bickerstaff replied when asked how the Cavs were able to limit LaVine. “This is one of the things we saw when we watched him play. He has the ability to shut his man down. On top of that I thought the big guys in particular were on high alert when he was coming off and he was making those plays, we had some opportunities when we switched with Larry and Jarrett and they were able to challenge his shot. So I think Isaac started it, but the team finished it.”

The front office has tough decisions to make by 3 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. This night could be the final time this group is together. The Cavs made it count.

Winning formula

The Cavs reversed their third quarter struggles, outscoring the Bulls 25-17 in those 12 minutes and taking control of the game. The Cavs are 14-3 when leading after three quarters.

Up next

The Cavs will continue their four-game road trip on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m.