To paraphrase Frank Sinatra, what a difference a year makes.
In a vacuum, the Cleveland Cavaliers' 111-104 loss to the Chicago Bulls looks bad. That it extends the team's losing streak to three games only worsens the optics for LeBron James and Co.
But as The Athletic's Sean Highkin noted, the context surrounding Cleveland's recent struggles can't—and shouldn't—be ignored:
To be sure, the nitty-gritty of the Cavaliers' latest trip to the United Center wasn't pretty. Cleveland looked lethargic and lackadaisical throughout, getting beasted on the boards (49-33 overall, 16-6 on the offensive end) and giving up a ton of extra looks as a result. The Bulls finished with 13 more field-goal tries, seven more free-throw attempts, 20 more second-chance points and 18 more paint points than their Central Division rivals.
If not for Cleveland's customary long-range barrage (10-of-26 on three-pointers), the team might've finished its Friday night with a third straight blowout.
Then again, if the Cavs hadn't turned the ball over 20 times and surrendered 18 points off those giveaways, they ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Josh Martin
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