LeBron James and the Cavaliers bounced back from an unexpected Game 1 loss to defeat the Bulls on Wednesday. Now the series moves to Chicago, where the Bulls will try to maintain the home court advantage they took from Cleveland. While it's too early for must-win games, the team that emerges victorious on Friday will take control of the series and put enormous pressure on the loser to win Game 4.
Cavaliers vs. Bulls 2015 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch Game 3 online
The Bulls will look to defend their home court and break the tie in the third game of the series.
The Cavaliers made a key adjustment after their loss by starting Tristan Thompson at power forward instead of going small with Mike Miller. The move paid off, as Thompson's athleticism and energy played a big part in getting them an early lead and then held off the Bulls' charge with timely offensive rebounds. If Thompson continues playing at a high level, he's the answer to fill Kevin Love's vacant slot in the starting unit.
J.R. Smith will make his series debut after serving a two-game suspension and should provide some shooting and playmaking that the Cavaliers could really use. Iman Shumpert has been great in his stead, knocking down open jumpers, and James Jones was good in Game 2 but neither brings as much to the table as Smith. With James and Kyrie Irving playing at a high level, Thompson finding his place as a starter and Smith back, Cleveland could overwhelm the Bulls with their offense.
The Bulls will need the Paul Gasol from the first matchup to keep up. Gasol destroyed the Cavaliers with his touch from mid-range and did a good job on the boards. In Game 2 Thompson bothered him on both ends and he couldn’t replicate that performance. If Pau adjusts and continues to provide a half-court option for Chicago to use when nothing else is working, the Bulls could regain control of the series.
Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose also need to be more consistent and efficient. Butler has the dual duty of providing some scoring while guarding James, so his occasional struggles are understandable. Rose has not been himself when he hasn't had time to rest, which should concern Bulls fans in Game 3. Yet they both can get hot quickly and create for themselves and others. If Chicago gets a good game from its three best players, the outcome could be similar to the one from the first game of the series.
How to watch
Place: United Center
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Online: WatchESPN
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