Cleveland-The Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 108 to 94. Lauri Markkanen delivered a solid performance. Only scoring 4 points, Markkanen was a little rusty in his NBA debut against the Pelicans in game 4 on Sunday. Tonight against Cleveland, his game improved dramatically by having a smoother jump shot and being more aggressive. He scored 18 points and was 4 for 7 from the 3-point line. Even though this is preseason, the Bulls got a lot out of their rookie, and it may be a sign of things to come. In the game, the Bulls played at a faster pace, beating defenders to the basket, and constantly contesting shots. Coach Hoiburg wanted the Bulls to play a “new style of game” with more spacing and ball movement. Up against the Cavaliers with LeBron back, in his first preseason game since he sprained his ankle early in training camp, the Bulls knew they had to be in sync and play aggressive. Justin Holiday was the factor for the Bulls tonight. He was unstoppable at times scoring 28 points and 11 rebounds. For the Cavs, Rose had a classic performance; he scored 13 points with 5 assists. However, the chemistry with James and Wade wasn’t there. Wade threw two alley-oops to James that missed the mark. One alley-oop in the air and another off the glass. These were plays that they executed often in Miami. James finished with 17 points but 8 turnovers where the Bulls’ defense was definitely present. “I don’t think we will be the team we need to be in a week,” James said. “It’s going to be for the whole season. We’re going to have changes; we’re going to make changes. We’re going to be a better team as the games go on.” The Bulls will face the Toronto Raptors in game 6 on Friday night.
