Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls preseason preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without LeBron James as they take on his friend Dwyane Wade and the Chicago Bulls.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will get their first look at the Chicago Bulls with the additions of Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade and Robin Lopez.
Cleveland is coming off of a blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night, and will be without LeBron James. The Cavs didn’t look good without him on the court, but Friday presents a new opportunity to rebound.
A select few players are still fighting for a roster spot, including Dahntay Jones, DeAndre Liggins, Jordan McRae and Toney Douglas. Friday’s game against the Bulls is a good challenge going up against a team that features a solid backcourt.
One thing to look forward to is one of the Cavs’ newest additions, Mike Dunleavy, will be playing against his former team.
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The sharpshooter, if he stays healthy, should be a key player on the Cavs due to his versatility. Dunleavy is able to guard three positions and could be a huge lift if LeBron misses an extended period of time during the season.
Kay Felder is shooting 30 percent during the preseason. Seeing progression from Felder against the Bulls will be an encouraging sign, as long as he progresses. All signs point to Felder being the backup point guard as he continues to come off the bench behind Kyrie Irving.
Tyronn Lue’s lineup could feature more small-ball lineups on Friday. Against the Raptors, the Cavs went with a four-guard lineup at times. Seeing similar success across the NBA gives the Cavs more of a motive to experiment with smaller lineups of their own.
Defensively, Cleveland should try to pack the paint and force the Bulls to take outside shots. Rondo, Wade and Jimmy Butler don’t present a great threat from the perimeter as they do attacking the paint or working through a mid-range game.
Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love will have their hands full on the glass as the Cavs look to out-rebound the Bulls.
What are your keys to look for as the Cavs take on the Bulls? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter @KJG_NBA.