CLEVELAND — The Chicago Bulls knew the stakes the moment they touched down in Cleveland. The Cavaliers have been nipping at the Bulls’ heels for weeks, aided by a recent Bulls slump in their quest to overtake them in the Eastern Conference.
With only a one-game advantage entering Saturday, the final meeting of the regular season offered the Bulls the chance to keep the Cavaliers in their wake. Every fan at the sold-out Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse seemed to understand the gravity of the night.
The result wasn’t picture-perfect. It didn’t need to be. It was sloppy at times, gutsy at others. Both teams struggled to shoot the ball well. But for the Bulls, the only numbers that mattered were those on the board at the final buzzer: a 98-94 win over one of their closest conference competitors.
