The Cleveland Cavaliers took the heart of the the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 as a LeBron James buzzer-beater evened this hard-fought series after four games. Who will come out on top in a crucial Game 5?
Projected Starting Lineups
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers (53-29)
G Kyrie Irving – 21.7 ppg, 5.2 apg
G J.R. Smith – 12.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg
F LeBron James – 25.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 7.4 apg
F Tristan Thompson – 7.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg
C Timofey Mozgov– 10.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg
(3) Chicago Bulls (50-32)
G Derrick Rose – 17.7 ppg, 4.9 apg
G Jimmy Butler – 20.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg
F Mike Dunleavy – 9.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg
F Taj Gibson – 10.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg
C Joakim Noah – 7.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 4.7 apg
What to watch for:
Will Pau Gasol play?
Gasol had a career year for the Bulls (18.5 ppg, 11.8 rpg), but a hamstring injury kept him out of Game 4. As a result, Chicago didn’t have any punch down low and became a perimeter-oriented team as Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler were the only players that scored in double-figures. That makes the Bulls much easier to guard, and the Cavs took advantage by holding Chicago to just 36 percent shooting from the floor as a team. If Gasol is forced to miss Game 5, another big man will have to step up for the Bulls if they want to win.
Can LeBron James continue to do everything for Cleveland?
Kyrie Irving has been severely hampered all series by left knee tendonitis and a right foot strain, and with Kevin Love already being out for the remainder of the postseason, almost all of the load has been placed on LeBron James’ back. He seems content to take on a majority of shots (he took 30 in Game 4 – no one else took more than 10), but he needs to show he can continuously do enough to carry the Cavs into the conference finals.
Prediction: Cavs win 96-91
When a series is tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 goes on to win the series over 80 percent of the time, putting added importance on this game. Both teams will play with that extra intensity, keeping this game close throughout, but homecourt advantage will make a difference in the fourth quarter for the Cavs.
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