Bulls vs. Cavaliers: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2017 Regular Season

LeBron James showed up. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were in street clothes. As for the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers, they probably wish they were in Irving’s and Love’s shoes.

The Chicago Bulls shot 48.2 percent from the floor, led by Jimmy Butler’s 20 points, as they cruised to a 106-94 win over the Cavs in Cleveland on Wednesday night.

The loss snapped a 13-game Cavaliers winning streak with James in the lineup. Irving sat out for the third straight game with a hamstring injury, while Love sat out with an illness.

James, who was also listed as questionable with an illness, walked away worse for the wear after bumping knees with Bulls guard Michael Carter-Williams.

Playing without his two co-stars, James watched the Cavs fall apart on both ends of the floor. The Bulls sank a season-high 13 shots from three-point range, with Dwyane Wade, Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott each hitting three apiece.

McDermott and Mirotic spearheaded a Chicago bench that outscored Cleveland’s 39-23. Fifteen of McDermott’s 17 points came as part of a second quarter in which he knocked down all six of his field-goal attempts. The NBA provided a GIF showcasing McDermott’s knockdown shooting:

McDermott gets all 15 of his points in the 2nd quarter.@chicagobulls lead @cavs 52-46 at half on ESPN. LeBron: 14p, 5a & 4r.#NBAGIF pic.twitter.com/vKGkRP3oUv

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2017

James finished with 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. He has played at least 36 minutes in each of the last four games and is averaging 39 minutes per contest over that span. The Cavaliers were riding a three-game winning streak coming into Wednesday night, but it continues to be dispiriting to see how badly they need James on the floor at all times.

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