Bulls snap five-game skid with win over Cavs

Nikola Vucevic scored 25 points and added seven rebounds with five assists as the Chicago Bulls defeated the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 106-96 on Saturday night.

Lauri Markkanen added 16 points off the bench as the Bulls’ losing streak ended at five games.

Danzel Valentine scored 13 points off the bench and Patrick Williams had 12 points.

Darius Garland had 22 points and 12 assists for Cleveland. Collin Sexton also had 22 points, Kevin Love added 14, Isaac Okoro had 13 and Jarrett Allen had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Cavaliers led by two points at halftime, but the Bulls outscored them 33-21 in the third quarter to lead by 10 entering the fourth quarter.

The Cavaliers opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run. The Bulls regained a 10-point lead on a 3-pointer by Daniel Theis with 7:37 left, but Cleveland cut the lead to three when Garland hit a 3-pointer with 3:23 remaining. Markkanen and Vucevic made consecutive 3-pointers and Chicago led by nine with 1:49 to play. And 33 seconds later, Vucevic’s dunk bumped the lead to 11.

The Bulls led 29-24 after one quarter.

Valentine opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer. The Bulls still led by eight after Vucevic made a layup with 3:12 to play in the first half. The Cavaliers scored the next 11 points, taking a three-point lead on Garland’s 14-footer with nine seconds remaining. Coby White made one free throw to cut the lead to 49-47 at halftime.

The Bulls scored the first five points of the third quarter. The Bulls took a seven-point lead on White’s 3-pointer with 7:07 left in the third. Vucevic’s 3-pointer put Chicago into a 69-58 lead with 4:26 remaining.

Markkanen made a jumper and a layup consecutively and the Bulls led by 16 with 2:49 to go. The Bulls led 80-70 after three quarters.

The Bulls were without Zach LaVine (health and safety protocols).

–Field Level Media