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On a night when their brightest star, Donovan Mitchell, was sidelined with a sprained ankle, the Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t shrink from the spotlight—they embraced it. With the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference within reach and playoff intensity already seeping into Rocket Arena, the Cavs delivered a 135-113 dismantling of the Chicago Bulls that felt like more than just a win. It was a message.
This isn’t a one-man show.
“We’re just getting started,” said Darius Garland postgame. And after watching what unfolded Tuesday night, who’s going to argue?
The Cavs didn’t begin the game like world-beaters. In fact, for 12 minutes, they looked flat—still searching for rhythm, still feeling the weight of Mitchell’s absence. The offense ran almost exclusively through Evan Mobley’s improved jumper and Ty Jerome’s instant-offense spark. When the first quarter buzzer sounded, Cleveland clung to a slim one-point lead.
But basketball games aren’t decided in one quarter.
What happened next was nothing short of a transformation.
The Cavs buried the Bulls in a Cavalanche
Call it momentum, call it belief, call it a Cavalanche—the second quarter saw Cleveland explode for 43 points, burying the Bulls under a barrage of threes, sharp ball movement, and suffocating defense. The Cavs hit 10 of their 17 attempts from beyond the arc in the second frame alone. Garland led the charge with 14 of his 28 points in the quarter, rediscovering the smooth, confident shooting stroke that had eluded him since the All-Star break.
“It helped me extremely today,” Garland said of the shake-up to the team’s pregame shootaround routine. “So shout to Kenny for switching it up.”
Atkinson, who has been candid about the Cavs' recent three-point shooting struggles—23rd in the league since March—compared it to a baseball slump. “We’re thinking about changing bats,” he joked before the game. Turns out, whatever ritual they changed, it worked.
Cleveland finished 25-of-50 from deep, good for their highest mark since February 25. But it wasn’t just shotmaking that defined the night. It was the way they made those shots—through paint touches, drive-and-kicks, extra passes, offensive rebounds turned into threes. It was a reminder of the offense Atkinson spent all year building—one rooted in unselfishness and ball movement.
Mobley was a revelation. His continued evolution into a do-it-all weapon was on full display. He finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and a block—all while shooting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Before this season, Mobley had made three or more threes in a game just once. Against the Bulls, it marked his 13th such game this year.
Cleveland's bench stars shined bright once again
Ty Jerome, just days into his return from a knee injury, continued his unexpected surge with 18 points off the bench. His floaters, off-the-dribble threes, and overall energy have helped revitalize Cleveland’s second unit, turning what could’ve been a liability into a weapon.
Add in De’Andre Hunter’s 17 points, and you get a snapshot of what this Cavs team has become: a collective.
“We’ve been winning with our depth all season,” Atkinson said. And when Mitchell isn’t available, that depth becomes not just a strength, but a lifeline.
The Bulls, missing Coby White and Josh Giddey, did their best to claw back. A surge midway through the third trimmed a 27-point lead down to single digits, cutting the deficit to nine with just over seven minutes to go in the fourth.
But the Cavs didn’t blink.
A Garland triple, a Mobley putback slam, and a couple of forced turnovers put the game back out of reach. Door slammed. Curtains dropped.
It was a familiar script: adversity meets resilience.
The Cavs battled through adversity to claim the Eastern Conference throne
From the very beginning of the season, when questions loomed about spacing, about Garland’s health, about whether this young core could work—it’s been about belief. Belief in Mobley’s leap. Belief in Garland’s bounce-back, in Atkinson’s system, that they could be more than just “the team with Donovan Mitchell.”
Tuesday night wasn’t just about a win. It was about proving the Cavs are more than their biggest name. It was about planting a flag atop the Eastern Conference and daring everyone else to knock it down.
“We got ahead of it early and then had some ups and downs the last month,” Atkinson reflected. “But really proud of the guys, proud of the organization. It’s hard to win 63 games in this league. It’s hard to be the first seed.”
With this win, it's clear this season isn’t just about one player. It’s about all of them—and the belief that any of them can be the difference on any given night.
With that belief fully manifested, the East runs through Cleveland now.
And if this win over the Bulls was any indication, they’re ready for the challenge.
