The Chicago Bulls enjoy a respectable 5-7 start to the 2024-25 season, including a significant win against the talented New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Unfortunately for Chicago, they will face the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers for the second game this week on Friday night, which is proceeding as expected. When the two teams met on Monday, the Bulls kept it close, losing 119-113, but Friday’s game was a different story.
Not only did the Cavs take a 15-point lead after the first quarter, but the Bulls appear to have forgotten how to defend. The Cavaliers scored 49 points in the first quarter, their highest total in team history.
The Cavs were paced by standout guard Darius Garland, who scored 15 first-quarter points. Standout centre Jarrett Allen and All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell each scored 11 points, and the trio combined for 37 points, shooting an extremely efficient 14-16 from the field. The Cavaliers surprisingly did not miss a single two-pointer throughout the quarter.
The Bulls scored 34 points in the first session, which is typically a great quarter, but Chicago’s lack of defence made it impossible to keep up.
Cleveland’s 49 first-quarter points are also the most a club has scored in a single quarter in the NBA this season, falling just six points short of the league record set by the Golden State Warriors in April 2023.
Despite Cleveland’s historic first quarter, the Bulls are trying everything they can to keep the game within reach. With plenty of basketball left to play, Chicago might render the Cavaliers’ historic night worthless.
Leave a Reply