Chicago Bulls Preview: LeBron James Comes In Winless
By Ronald Agers
How about this for a Chicago Bulls preview: LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers come to Chicago winless. In other news, Pippen Ain’t Easy’s Editor, Ronald Agers is out of his funk. Thank you for your concern.
I have to give some of the Pippen Peoples credit, during all the free agency drama, the summer league and throughout the preseason, some said the same thing over and over. Nothing matters until the regular season.
I swear I didn’t get it until I finished watching the New York Knicks play the Cleveland Cavaliers in LeBron James’ so called “Homecoming” last night.
As I watched this game, I was angry. I was embarrassed. I was depressed. I watched the Chicago Bulls walk the dog with the New York Knicks 104-80 in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday night. My Knicks made me look like an idiot as they laid down and let the Bulls take over the Madison Square Garden like the rent hasn’t been paid in months. I just knew the Cleveland Cavaliers would lay waste to the Knicks for the second night in a row leading up to the showdown in Chicago on Friday night.
The music the Cleveland Cavaliers played for the starting lineups was Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What?”
I’LL TELL YOU WHAT…THE NEW YORK KNICKS!
Oct 30, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
The Knicks made me proud coming out to the old school wrestling NWO (New World Order to those non wrestling fans) music and showed a pulse and a clue by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road 95-90.
The funny thing that happened last night when I watched Carmelo Anthony real close. He actually looked like he cared. He came out aggressive and set the tone early. It was a totally different situation in New York against the Chicago Bulls. He looked lazy. He looked disinterested and he was probably looking over the game to play in Cleveland.
It seems like an excuse, but if you pay attention to Carmelo Anthony, you’ll notice he will show up for few games fully focused and ready to play. If LeBron James is in the building, he always shows. After scoring only 14 points against Chicago, Carmelo Anthony went for 25 points which included a fade away jumper in LeBron James’s grill with 25 seconds left to seal the game. He also had six assists.
The Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves coming to Chicago winless after putting on a production so big that you would have thought Jesus Christ himself was there.
Oct 30, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts in the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jesus was not there and neither was LeBron James’ game. He was terrible.
LeBron James, who ran home to Cleveland after getting run out of the NBA Finals by the San Antonio Spurs, finished with 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting with eight turnovers. Most of those turnovers were very errant passes on a night where he looked very passive.
But some of the Cavaliers players showed up to play.
Oct 30, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) drives past New York Knicks forward Amar
Kyrie Irving led the Cleveland Cavaliers last night by scoring 22 points while dishing out seven assists, grabbing two steals and a blocked shot. Kevin Love added 19 points with 14 rebounds.
The New York Knicks outscored the Cleveland Cavaliers by 13 points with LeBron James on the floor. Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks outhustled and outplayed LeBron James and the Cavs with energy and heart. Something that was foreign against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
The Knicks haven’t figured out the triangle offense yet, but at least on this night, they figured out how to space the floor, move the ball and shoot.
New York shot 53 percent from the field which included 6-of-12 from the land of three. To top this all off they actually knocked down free throws too, to the tune of 15-of-18. Out of the 37 baskets the Knicks had, 30 came off assists. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been exposed on the defensive end. If they can’t turn you over, they struggle big time. This includes LeBron Lames as well.
Why did I write this article? Maybe it’s therapeutic. I don’t know, but I will say this. The Chicago Bulls had better not rest on their laurels playing at home against the Cavaliers, they could suffer the same fate that Cleveland suffered last night and what New York got on Wednesday.
Just sayin.
Pippen Ain’t Easy will be all over the coverage of this showdown against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. It will be a nationally televised game on ESPN. The game starts at 8:00 pm EST. Keep it locked to Pippen Ain’t Easy for all angles from our talented writers leading up to the big game. Will the Chicago Bulls keep LeBron James winless? Like some of the Pippen Peoples say, it doesn’t matter until the game starts and they start playing.
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