Fansided

NBA Games of the Week: Epic blowout potential

By Chazz Scogna

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 17: Dwyane Wade #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers walk up court during the game against the Boston Celtics on October 17, 2017 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 17: Dwyane Wade #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers walk up court during the game against the Boston Celtics on October 17, 2017 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WI – OCTOBER 20: LeBron James
MILWAUKEE, WI – OCTOBER 20: LeBron James /

Tuesday, Oct. 24: Chicago at Cleveland, 7:00 p.m. EST

ESPN’s Zach Lowe said it best:

I’m here for the Holiday 16-attempt nights. While the Bulls take full advantage of the last season of the draft lottery, this game could reek of 130-90.

Last season, the Cavaliers made 10 3-pointers 65 times. The roster is different, as capable 3-point shooters like Richard Jefferson and Kyrie Irving have been replaced by virtual non-shooters like Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade. Isaiah Thomas will fill a huge void in the Cavs’ 3-point shooting needs in the start five when he comes back in January.

The biggest obstacle to winning by 40 — this is all under the assumption that at some point these games will have a 40-point lead —  is garbage time. The Bulls outscored Toronto in the fourth quarter, bringing a 20-point lead to a more respectable 17. When we’re dealing with 40, every point counts.

The Cavs are a deeper team than last year but their problem will be the tradeoffs on defense they get from their best shooters in games against younger and more athletic teams. Kyle Korver and Channing Frye, despite their shooting, are non-playable against teams like the Celtics or Warriors. Fortunately, the Bulls aren’t one of them.

Nate Duncan tweeted out the Bulls’ shot chart for the first quarter of their opening night game against the Raptors. Chicago attempted six shots in the paint. They attempted 20 jumpers everywhere else. Long shots mean long rebounds and long rebounds mean the Cavs can get out in transition for easy 3-pointers.

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