May 6, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots on Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) during the third quarter in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
CLEVELAND — LeBron James went back to his headband. He reverted back to his MVP form, too.
A more aggressive James recorded 33 points, eight rebounds and five assists, the Cavaliers set a franchise record by opening a 20-point lead after the first quarter, and Cleveland beat the Chicago Bulls 106-91 Wednesday night to knot their Eastern Conference semifinal series at 1-1.
Bulls forward Pau Gasol was limited to 11 points and didn’t score his first basket until the final two minutes of the first half after he tormented the Cavs with 21 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1.
Chicago point guard Derrick Rose had 14 points and 10 assists but shot just 6-for-20 from the floor, and guard Jimmy Butler scored 18 points on 5-of-14 shooting. The Bulls, however, still return home for Game 3 on Friday night holding home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
James promised to be sharper in Game 2 than he was in the opener, and he certainly delivered. The headband was a mild surprise after he seemed to ditch it for good in early March. He arrived at the arena three hours prior to tip Wednesday night, then matched his number of baskets from Game 1 (nine) by halftime.
He consistently fought through double teams for baskets in the paint, beat Bulls defensive whiz Jimmy Butler off the dribble for driving baskets and set the tone for a more aggressive attack.
Part of that was perhaps because he was back in his comfort zone. After he started Game 1 at power forward, the Cavs changed their starting lineup yet again and inserted Tristan Thompson in the post, moving James back to his more comfortable spot on the wing. Thompson grabbed 12 rebounds, and the overall impact was evident almost immediately.
The Cavs never trailed Wednesday, forced seven turnovers in the first quarter and jumped out to 22-point lead late in the period before settling for a 38-18 lead at the buzzer, the largest advantage after one quarter in team history. It was the exact opposite from Monday’s Game 1, when the Bulls opened a 16-point lead in the first quarter and never trailed.
The Cavs were again without suspended guard J.R. Smith, and they temporarily lost Iman Shumpert in the third quarter to a left groin strain. While Shumpert was being treated in the locker room, the Bulls chopped a 25-point deficit down to 11 in the third, but they couldn’t get within single digits. Shumpert eventually returned in the fourth quarter.
Guard Kyrie Irving scored 21 points, forward James Jones added 17, and Shumpert had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Cavs, admirably filling in for Smith during his two-game suspension. Shumpert, who made four 3-pointers for the second consecutive game, has been terrific in his last three postseason contests. Now the Cavs will welcome back Smith from his suspension Friday, although they will remain without Kevin Love for the rest of the playoffs.
Love rejoined his teammates for the first time Wednesday after undergoing season-ending surgery last week in New York on his dislocated left shoulder. Love, who can become a free agent this summer, sat in the second row behind the Cavs’ bench and received a standing ovation from the home crowd when he was shown on the scoreboard.
NOTES: Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said F Pau Gasol’s vision is part of what makes him so dangerous. “If he is open, he shoots. If he is guarded, he is going to move the ball,” Thibodeau said. “The game is going to tell him what to do.” … Bulls G Derrick Rose sustained a shoulder stinger late in Game 1 but said by Tuesday morning he was fine. … The Cavs canceled a plan to give away 20,000 arm slings prior to Game 2, according to the Associated Press, presumably to show support for Love. The team offered no comment.
