The Cleveland Cavaliers secured a convincing 109-91 win over the Chicago Bulls during Monday night’s NBA action, with Donovan Mitchell leading the charge scoring 34 points. Jarrett Allen contributed significantly with a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, marking his ninth consecutive game achieving this feat.
Caris LeVert played a key role off the bench, adding 16 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, helping the Cavaliers extend their winning streak to five games despite relinquishing a 21-point lead in the second half.
Mitchell acknowledged the Bulls’ competitive spirit but emphasized the Cavaliers’ resilience and team response, particularly in critical moments of the game.
“They’re a good team, a competitive team, so we knew they were going make a run,” Mitchell said. “And we missed wide-open shots. But the biggest thing is how we responded, and we did it as a group.”
The Bulls briefly took the lead at 81-80 early in the fourth quarter, courtesy of Coby White’s free throws, erasing Cleveland’s advantage, which peaked at 74-53 in the third quarter. However, the Cavaliers responded emphatically with a 10-point run, spearheaded by Mitchell, and finished the game strongly with a 29-10 surge.
LeVert highlighted the Cavaliers’ defensive strength and adaptability, noting their timely stops and growing cohesion in defensive strategy.
“Right now, we’re getting the timely stops we need, and the really good teams do that,” LeVert said. “We have versatile defenders, and we have bigs that can switch. We’re just locking in more defensively, and we’re getting better at our scheme.”
Cleveland’s offensive prowess was on display, setting a franchise record with 20 three-pointers from an NBA season-high 57 attempts in regulation. Mitchell, LeVert, and Georges Niang each contributed four from beyond the arc.
White led with 18 points for the Bulls, while Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic each added 17. Vucevic, alongside Andre Drummond, also collected 10 rebounds each, with Bulls coach Billy Donovan utilizing them extensively in the second half.
Despite the Bulls’ brief comeback, Donovan expressed frustration with self-inflicted errors, including rushed shots and turnovers.
“What was disappointing was a lot of the (mistakes) when we went up one were self-induced,” Donovan said. “It was rushed shots, turnovers, offensive rebounds; all stuff we did to ourselves.”
Ayo Dosunmo’s 10-point effort in the third quarter ignited Chicago’s rally but was hindered by a sore left shoulder, leading to his early exit. Patrick Williams also missed the game due to right ankle soreness.
Allen’s impressive performance continues his career-high streak of double-doubles, averaging 18.8 points and 15.1 rebounds during this period. The Cavaliers have been performing strongly, with a 10-3 record since losing Evan Mobley and Darius Garland to injuries. Mitchell praised Allen’s contributions and teamwork, endorsing him for an All-Star selection.
“J-A gets me open, that’s for sure, and he’s willing to do the little things,” Mitchell said of Allen. “We all appreciate it. He’s playing out of his mind and he should be an All-Star. We need to get him there.”
The Cavaliers established an early lead with eight three-pointers in the first quarter, including three by Niang, to gain a 40-21 advantage. Despite White’s efforts in the second quarter for Chicago, the Bulls trailed 60-46 at halftime.
Looking ahead, the Bulls will face Toronto on Thursday night, while the Cavaliers host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
