The Chicago Bulls defeated the host New York Knicks on Wednesday. The Knicks defeated the host Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. The Cavaliers play the host Chicago Bulls on Friday. So logic says the Bulls beat the Cavs. Unless, of course, the Cavs beat the Bulls (because the road team has won each encounter). So much for logic — not to mention small sample size.
* Logic also says it is of far greater significance to win the last game of the season rather than the first game (or, in this case, second game) — provided that the last game comes in the postseason — if you are hoping to win a championship.
* A Bulls victory Friday would send a message to the Cavs and recently returned LeBron James. That message? Bulls are 2-0 while Cavs would be 0-2. Any other messages are of your own creation. The team that is the Cavs the first week of the season likely will function much better by the time the playoffs come around.
* Speaking of James, he was 5-of-15 from the field in scoring 17 points. Kyrie Irving led Cleveland with 22 points and seven assists. Kevin Love had 19 points and 14 rebounds. Other numbers of note: James had eight turnovers. He and Irving played 43 minutes and Love 38. Something says the idea was for the Cavs to win their home opener with King James’ return and Love’s Cleveland debut, even if it meant heavy minutes. Meaning the Bulls might benefit from the Cavs playing on consecutive nights. Then again, the Bulls of recent vintage have shown the ability to lose to just about any team on any night.
* In making an assessment after one game (which is not exactly the smartest thing to do — which certainly must be why we are about to make one right after this parenthetical observation), one difference between the Bulls and Cavs would appear to be the teams’ benches. With the Bulls’ being superior. Cleveland’s bench totaled 12 points in the team’s 95-90 loss.
* Speaking of basketball (but of a far more compelling nature), Comcast SportsNet Chicago will carry a college contest Sunday at 1 p.m. (Central). Not merely any game. It’s the Mount St. Joseph-Hiram College Division III contest in Cincinnati. The women’s game. Why? Because the sold-out duel features freshman forward Lauren Hill. Not some hot-shot prospect, but a young woman with terminal brain cancer in her first — and possibly only — game. Fox Sports Ohio is providing the telecast to CSN. Because her tumor had grown to such a perilous size, the NCAA allowed Mount St. Joseph to move up its opener from Nov. 15 to Nov. 2. Her story has gained national notice. Hill has become a spokesperson for youngsters fighting brain cancer through The Cure Starts Now Foundation. Persons who would like to donate to the cause should visit the foundation’s web site at thecurestartsnow.org.
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