Max Strus and Cavs Halt Bulls Winning Streak at 3 Games with 109-95 Victory

Max Strus rented out a suite for friends and family. "That was the Christmas present. Got a little extra money in my pocket now. So I can afford it."

Strus on playing at the UC: "It's always special. I get goosebumps every time the starting lineup comes on."

Strus rose to the occasion, dropping 26 points and dishing out 7 assists. His play helped orchestrate the Cavaliers constantly finding the Bulls defense out of position and either getting easy looks or getting fouled for free buckets.

Bulls Continued Bright Spots Along With Issues

Even in the face of defeat, the Bulls saw growth. Just like the previous game against the San Antonio Spurs, the Bulls had a balanced attack on offense. DeRozan did his thing scoring 21. Nikola Vucevic surprisingly had a good showing against the Cavs, who he typically struggles against. His final line was 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. Coby White added 17 points, but again was very inefficient shooting. He was 8-19 from the field and 0-8 from three.

As a team, the Bulls shot 22.9% from the arc. This is an issue to watch. While the reinvigorate Bulls offense has seen the ball go around quickly like Billy Donovan teams usually do, Donovan’s teams have also historically lived and died by the three.

Patrick Williams also had a good showing on his jersey giveaway night, tallying 13 points in aggressive fashion. Another shocker was Dalen Terry leading the bench scoring with 6 points, all coming in the last four minutes of the first quarter.

Bulls Playoff Status

Despite the loss, the Bulls have landed back in a playoff spot. They are now in the 10th and final play-in spot thanks to the Atlanta Hawks losing back-to-back games. The Brooklyn Nets are two games ahead of the Bulls in the 9th spot.

What’s On Tap Next For The Bulls?

While the Bulls blew a golden opportunity with an injured Cavaliers roster, the Bulls will be back at it Tuesday night at home against the Atlanta Hawks. The Bulls can use this as an opportunity to create some cushion for them in the playoff picture.