Cavaliers vs. Bulls: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2016 Regular Season

Not only did Dwyane Wade get to see his friend, LeBron James, enter the United Center in Chicago Cubs gear prior to Friday night’s game against his former teammate, but his Chicago Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 111-105.

Wade put up 24 points to help lead his Bulls, who were coming off a 96-90 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in which they blew a double-digit lead in the first half. But he also had plenty of help.

Two other Bulls put up 20 points as well. A scorching start from Taj Gibson, who hit his first nine shots from the field, carried him to 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Jimmy Butler provided a team-high 26 points of his own. 

It was Butler’s 12th straight game with 20 or more points, which was the longest streak by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan in 1998, via the ESPN telecast.

Not to be lost in the support, Rajon Rondo came up with his 29th career regular-season triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds.

For the visitors, James followed a season-worst 5-of-14 shooting for 16 points during Thursday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers with a game-high 27 points and 13 assists. However, this is the first time the Cavaliers have lost three straight games since Dec. 1-5 in 2015.

Cleveland went to J.R. Smith early to get the night going, as the wing was hot from three-point land to start. He recorded nine of his team’s first 11 points on the night while going 3-of-4 from distance. 

It was a nice change of pace for a player who was struggling, via ESPN Stats & Info:

J.R. Smith is already 3-for-4 from 3-point range… He was 4-for-27 in his previous 4 games combined.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 3, 2016

However, those were his only points of the night.

The Bulls, who aren’t known for their outside shooting, combated with a strong interior game, as 78 of their 111 points on Friday night came from inside of the paint, via the NBA:

On @ESPNNBA, Rondo finds Butler on the alley-oop for #BullsNation! #NBARapidReplay https://t.co/OVgJt8bHaO

— NBA (@NBA) December 3, 2016

In the first half alone, 50 of their first 59 points were from within the paint as …

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