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Cavs score, recap vs Bulls | How Cavaliers took care of business with No. 1 seed at stake
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- Cavs score, recap vs Bulls | How Cavaliers took care of business with No. 1 seed at stake
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers capitalized on another crack at clinching the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, defeating the Chicago Bulls 135-113 on Tuesday night to capture the coveted top spot .
With an opportunity to secure the No. 1 seed Sunday, the Cavs fell 120-113 to the Sacramento Kings . Adding injury to insult, All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell suffered a sprained left ankle and sat out against the Bulls , one of the NBA Play-In Tournament teams the Cavs could face later this month to open the playoffs. However, the Bulls were even more shorthanded, and the Cavs took advantage.
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Cleveland Cavaliers playoff news: Cavs clinch No. 1 seed in Eastern Conference
Here is how Cavs (63-16) versus Bulls (36-43) unfolded through our updates :
Cavs defeat Bulls 135-113 to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference
Point guard Darius Garland led the Cavs with 28 points, followed by forward Evan Mobley with 21 points, guard Ty Jerome with 18 points and wing De'Andre Hunter with 17 points.
Forward Patrick Williams led the Bulls with 21 points.
Darius Garland delivers dagger 3-pointers and Cavs take 122-99 lead against Bulls with 5:10 left
Garland is from Gary, Indiana, so his hometown NBA team is the Bulls. People from Garland's old stomping grounds undoubtedly thought about those roots when he drained back-to-back 3-pointers to elevate the Cavs to a 122-99 lead with 5:10 left in the fourth quarter.
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Garland has 28 points at this late stage of the game. His consecutive dagger shots from deep compelled the Bulls to use a timeout.
Cavs seize 108-92 lead with 8:43 left in the fourth quarter vs Chicago Bulls
The Cavs lead 108-92 with 8:43 left in the fourth quarter during a Bulls timeout prompted by Hunter's alley-oop dunk from Jerome.
The Bulls scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to slice the Cavs' lead to 98-89. But Hunter countered with a 3-pointer, and guard Sam Merrill added another 3 after Bulls forward Matas Buzelis drained one.
A putback dunk by Mobley preceded the Jerome-to-Hunter alley-oop.
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Cavs lead Bulls 98-85 at the end of the third quarter
The Cavs had a 98-85 advantage at the end of the third quarter.
The Bulls outscored the Cavs 37-30 in the quarter, but Cleveland discovered some momentum late.
Williams scored eight points in the third quarter and had 19 points for the Bulls through three quarters.
Garland paced the Cavs with 22 points entering the fourth quarter.
Cavs find way to steady sloppy third quarter and lead 95-81
A putback dunk by Mobley following a three-point play by Jerome sent the Bulls into a timeout with the Cavs leading 95-81 with 1:05 left in the third quarter.
The Bulls had controlled a significant chunk of the third quarter until the sequence.
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Bulls use 16-0 run in the third quarter to charge back and trim Cavs' lead
The Cavs led 87-76 with 2:44 left in the third quarter.
Earlier in the same quarter, the Bulls used a 16-point run to turn an 85-58 deficit into an 85-74 hole. Buzelis leads the Bulls with seven points in the third quarter. At this juncture, he has 15 in the game.
Cavaliers lead Bulls 76-56 with 7:23 left in the third quarter
Garland scored four of the Cavs' first eight points of the second half, and they led the Bulls 76-56 with 7:23 left in the third quarter.
At this stage, Garland had 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor (4 of 7 on 3-pointers).
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Cavs lead Bulls 68-48 at halftime
Garland and Jerome scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, as Cleveland led 68-48 at halftime. Mobley added 13 points and five rebounds for the Cavs in the first half.
Williams led the Bulls with 11 points through the first two quarters.
The Cavs went 26-of-51 shooting (51%) from the field, including 13 of 24 on 3-pointers (54.2%) in the first half. The Bulls went 18-of-43 shooting (41.9%) from the floor (8 of 23 on 3s, 34.8%).
Apr 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) dribbles beside Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter (5) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Cleveland Cavs build 52-39 lead vs Chicago Bulls in second quarter
The Cavs held a 52-39 advantage against the Bulls with 5:36 left in the second quarter after Garland nailed a 3-pointer and prompted a timeout by Chicago.
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Earlier in the second quarter, the Cavs went on a 9-0 run to build a 44-31 lead, with Mobley, forward Dean Wade and Jerome making three consecutive 3-pointers.
Wade drained another 3 with 7:25 left in the first half, and the Cavs went ahead 47-33.
Apr 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) drives to the basket beside Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (7) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Cleveland Cavaliers create a bit of separation and lead Chicago Bulls 35-28 with 9:43 left in the first quarter
Jerome scored five points in the first two minutes of the second quarter, and Merrill drained a 3-pointer with 10:20 left in the second quarter to give the Cavs a 35-28 lead. The Cavs led by the same score during a timeout with 9:43 remaining.
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The Cavs outscored the Bulls 10-4 to begin the second quarter.
Apr 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) dribbles beside Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Cavs lead Bulls 25-24 at the end of the first quarter.
The Cavs led the Bulls 25-24 at the end of the first quarter.
Mobley and Jerome led the Cavs with eight and seven points, respectively, in the opening quarter.
Williams led the Bulls with six points.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) shoots over Chicago Bulls forward Zach Collins (12) on April 8, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
With Ty Jerome producing off the bench, Cavs lead Bulls 23-18 with 2:05 remaining in the first quarter
The Cavs received an instant spark when Jerome came off the bench with 5:28 left in the first quarter.
Jerome made two shots in the paint, assisted on a 3-pointer by Mobley and then made a 3-pointer of his own. In other words, Jerome had seven points and an assist in his first 3 minutes and 23 seconds on the court.
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Those contributions resulted in the Cavs leading the Bulls 23-18 with 2:05 left in the first quarter.
Apr 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter (12) dribbles bees Chicago Bulls guard Jahmir Young (17) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Cavs lead Bulls 13-12 with 5:28 left in the first quarter
The Cavs led the Bulls 13-12 during a Chicago timeout with 5:28 remaining in the opening quarter.
Mobley made a 3-pointer to give the Cavs a one-point edge with 5:43 left. Mobley scored five of Cleveland's first 13 points.
Unfortunately for the Cavs, Williams got off to an even hotter start with six points (2 of 2 shooting on 3-pointers).
Apr 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) shoots beside Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Here is some pregame information:
Cleveland Cavs injury report vs Bulls
Mitchell is the only Cavs player listed with an injury. During pregame media availability, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson called Mitchell's sprain "mild."
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Cavs backup point guard Craig Porter Jr. was downgraded from questionable to out with an illness.
Donovan Mitchell news: Cavs star's strategic sacrifice is paying off for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Chicago Bulls injury report vs Cleveland Cavaliers
The Bulls have ruled out guard Coby White (rest). Mitchell leads the Cavs in scoring (24 points), and White leads the Bulls in scoring (20.7 points).
The Bulls ruled out six other players, too. They are guards Josh Giddey (right flexor carpiulnaris teninopathy), Lonzo Ball (right wrist sprain), Ayo Dosunmu (left shoulder surgery) and Tre Jones (left midfoot sprain), guard-forward Kevin Huerter (right cervical strain) and center Nikola Vucevic (right calf soreness).
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) prepares to shoot a free throw against the Orlando Magic on March 16, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
What is the history between the Cavs and Bulls?
The Cavs trail 133-104 in their all-time series with the Bulls. However, the Cavs entered Tuesday 3-0 against the Bulls this season.
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Heading into Tuesday, the Cavs were 6-6 in their last 12 games, and the Bulls were 8-4 in their past 12 games.
Cavaliers news: 'He's a guy that controls the pace': Ty Jerome returns from injury with a spark for Cavs
Cleveland Cavaliers broadcast information. How can I watch on TV, listen on radio or stream the Cavs vs Bulls game?
Tuesday's game can be watched locally on the FanDuel Sports Network . It can be heard on the radio via WMMS (100.7-FM) and WTAM (1100-AM).
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavs score, recap vs Chicago Bulls, game updates, highlights
