Top Takeaways From Cleveland Cavaliers' Victory Over Chicago Bulls

The Cleveland Cavaliers nearly let a lead slip through their fingers in what would ultimately be a 115-110 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

James Harden logged his second 30-point performance as a Cavalier behind a lights-out night from the three-point line. Jaylon Tyson notched the eighth double-double of his young career behind fearless drives and rebounding dives.

Six Bulls players, including an alternating starter in guard Tre Jones, ended the night in double figures, while guard Josh Giddey continued a recent tradition of 1-man passing shows for Chicago with a season-high 19 assists.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill and forward Dean Wade — Mar 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) grabs a loose ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

James Harden, Evan Mobley Put On Two-Man Show...

Forward Evan Mobley, a two-way anchor for the Cavs over their last few games, logged another double-double as he made his living in the paint once more.

He worked in tandem with Harden, who opened up opportunities for the fifth-year Cavalier with creative passes or by hitting him as a roller. Harden came close to earning a triple-double behind nine assists as he continued to feed some of his favorite Cavs targets. The 11-time All-Star pushed Cleveland ahead in the first quarter with a self-guided 3-point barrage, which led to seven makes on 13 tries by the final horn.

Mobley would add 14 rebounds, including six on offense, on his way to his third double-double in a row. The 24-year-old ranks fifth in the league with 12 boards per game over his last five games.

...but a Team Effort Nearly Takes It Right Back

The Bulls nearly caught up to their Midwestern foes as they seemed to have just enough gas in the tank to make one final push. The guards and the bigs took turns playing hero as they fought their way back from a 20-point deficit by the start of the fourth quarter, but Chicago's offense would sputter out every time it came within reach of claiming a much-needed victory. The Bulls were down by as many as 29 points in the matchup on Madison, but nearly clawed back with a 15-point difference in the fourth quarter.

The Cavs have been among the best 4th-quarter scoring teams this season with just under 30 points per game. Still, locking down should-win games and keeping their foot on the gas from start to finish will be paramount in taking and keeping Cleveland's fourth playoff run in a row.

The Cavs will face off against the New Orleans Pelicans at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday in the Smoothie King Center. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network - Ohio.