Dribbles: Cavs top Bulls, but ‘we gotta be more professional’

March 19, 2026

Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 115-110 road win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.

1. Donovan Mitchell didn’t play because of his eye injury, and hopefully for his sake, he closed the good one for the fourth quarter. It was not to be witnessed.

2. But hey, the Cavs still won. That’s about the only good thing to come out of those final 12 minutes or so.

3. After trailing 11-2, the Cavs went on a 43-11 run. They built a 29-point lead. Game over. Or so we thought.

4. I know I sure did. I was halfway done with these very dribbles midway through the fourth quarter. Then I used the delete key. So this is the second version. Thank you, Cavaliers.

5. And thank you, James Harden, for not making me try to explain away a terrible loss to my beloved readers. After all, there would have been no excuse for blowing this one. Harden was the primary reason that the Cavs held on.

6. He also scored 22 of the team’s first 32 points to get it started. He finished with 36, his Cleveland-high. Turns out, shockingly, the Cavs needed every last one of them.

7. And to Harden’s credit, he did all of that without forcing a thing. It’s obvious he’d prefer to let his teammates do it. But when they can’t, it’s nice to have a guy like Harden.

8. The Bulls went on a 33-8 run. So yes, the Cavs lost their way. Then they almost gave it away. But they didn’t, not entirely, and that’s really all that counts.

9. Harden to FanDuel Sports: “It’s not good enough. We gotta be more professional, do a better job of closing out.”

10. Other bright spots? Evan Mobley, who went for 26 points and 14 rebounds. He’s averaging better than 20 points and 10 rebounds over the last 10 games. This is the Mobley the Cavs will need in the postseason. But everyone, Mobley included, needs to more consistent.

11. Anyway, the other bright spot was Jaylon Tyson, who returned to the starting lineup to record 18 points, with 11 rebounds of his own. Five of those were at the offensive end. When the Cavs need energy, he’s one of the guys who really brings it.

12. I don’t pretend to know more than coach Kenny Atkinson, or even one-quarter as much. But I don’t love those four guard/wing lineups with Dean Wade at “center.” I know Atkinson is experimenting and trying to figure out rotations. Please, coach, throw that one out the window.

13. Speaking of Atkinson, here’s what he told reporters: “We settled (in the fourth quarter), we could’ve got to the rim more. That’s what happens in an NBA game. They got out in transition and got to the rim more.”

14. By the way, Tyson only played two minutes in the fourth quarter, and Atkinson said that wasn’t by design. Instead, it was because Tyson had an injured toe.

15. I’ve not been enamored with what I’ve seen from the Cavs lately. And yes, they’ve won three of four. But when they made the trades for Harden, Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, I was thinking Finals. I still believe that’s a possibility. But I’m gonna need to see some more evidence. Namely, this should’ve been a convincing win.

16. Old friend Collin Sexton scored nine for the Bulls (28-42). He is now on his fourth team in eight years, including three since the start of last season. He remains a player who’s probably best suited to come off the bench. Nothing wrong with that. Great guy, plays hard, can usually score the ball. But probably a career journeyman.

17. Sam Merrill added 13 points for the Cavs (43-27) and Dennis Schroder added nine. Next up: At New Orleans. Another team with an eye on the lottery. Don’t let it be close, fellas.