CHICAGO -- The Cavaliers are looking for their first win of the season on Saturday, as they take on the Chicago Bulls in their second game of the year. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. EDT.
The Cavs fell 108-105 to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, and while Donovan Mitchell made his debut and was as advertised, Cleveland also lost Darius Garland for the game due to a left eye laceration he sustained following a collision with Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. in the first quarter. Garland didn’t return to the game and did not accompany the team to Chicago as he deals with swelling and discomfort.
“We all need to get used to it,” teammate Caris LeVert said of Garland’s absence. “I’ve been in the league a while now and it’s a long season. Just have to figure each other out, figure out the process. We have to focus on our habits and what we can control. For me, it’s focusing on what I can do defensively, taking my shots when they come and staying aggressive.”
In the opener, Mitchell scored 18 of his 31 points in the second half and added nine assists for the Cavs (0-1).
Cleveland will face a Bulls team that is expecting two-time All-Star Zach LaVine to make his season debut on Saturday. He sat out the Bulls’ (1-1) first two contests due to knee injury management, a result of the arthroscopic surgery he underwent his left knee in May after playing through soreness late last season.
Along with LaVine, the Cavs will have to account for DeMar DeRozan, who followed up his 37-point performance in Chicago’s 116-108 victory over the Heat with 32 points on Friday against the Wizards. DeRozan, however, missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in the 102-100 loss.
DeRozan had his way with the Cavs last season, averaging 25 points in three meetings.
Bulls center Nikola Vucevic added 24 points and eight rebounds against the Wizards.
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