While playing for the Miami Heat, LeBron James was involved in some heated battles with the Chicago Bulls during the playoffs. They were one team that plagued the forward in his career. That will not change now that James is leading the Cleveland Cavaliers into the second round. The Bulls are fully healthy while the Cavaliers will be without Kevin Love which could be the x-factor in this matchup.
The Cavaliers are already at a loss entering the first game against the Bulls on Monday. Love is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a shoulder injury against the Boston Celtics in the first round. That puts the Cavaliers behind in the rebound category. JR Smith will also be sitting on the bench as the guard has been suspended for the first two games against Chicago thanks to a fight against the Celtics. Clevelamd might be coming off a four-game sweep of the Celtics, but the loss of both Smith and Love could drastically impact how the Cavaliers face the Bulls.
James knows the Bulls all too well. Chicago is looking to get some revenge on the forward after he was responsible for eliminating the Bulls from the postseason three times since 2010. James has never lost to Chicago in the playoffs. With the Miami Heat, they dominated the Bulls while Derrick Rose was absent more times than not. He is currently averaging 27.1 points and 8.0 rebounds when facing Chicago in the postseason. However, with two big injuries, it is the Bulls entering this series with confidence.
The Bulls will try to hit Cleveland hard playing inside. Nikola Mirotic, Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol will lead the charge underneath the rim and force the Cavaliers into outside shooting. That is where Kyrie Irving will be critical. The point guard's debut in the playoffs has gone well so far as he averaged 23.3 points against the Celtics.
Energy could be an issue in this game. Cleveland has had a long layoff since beating Boston. The team is well rested, but might be out of rhythm to start the game. The Bulls are coming off a six-game series against the Milwaukee Bucks with only just a few days of rest under their belts. This matchup is expected to be heated regardless.
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