2023-12-24 04:28:02
CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) — Max Strus scored 26 points and seven assists to help the injury-depleted Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls 109-95 on Saturday.
Chicago lost for just the fourth time in 12 games since Zach LaVine was sidelined with inflammation in his right foot.
DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 21 points and Nikola Vucevic added 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Jarrett Allen had 19 points, 17 rebounds and Craig Porter Jr. added 19, eight assists and seven rebounds for the Cavaliers, who played without their four leading scorers.
With 8:45 left in the third quarter, Strus dunked it on Vucevic, who ended up on the ground. Strus was originally called for an offensive foul. Cleveland challenged the call, which was overturned, giving the Cavaliers a 65-60 lead.
Vucevic responded with a triple. Later in the quarter, Strus hit a 3-pointer, and Georges Niang followed with a basket to extend Cleveland’s lead to 80-70 with 1:09 left in the quarter.
Porter had a chance at a three-point play to start the third quarter but missed his free throw. Damian Jones followed with a 3-pointer to extend Cleveland’s lead to 89-72 with 10:55 left.
Patrick Williams cut Cleveland’s lead to 90-85 with 7:08 left, but Strus responded with eight straight points.
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