The Cleveland Cavaliers (63-16) secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a dominant 135-113 win over the Chicago Bulls (36-43) on Tuesday, April 8.
Darius Garland led the charge with 28 points, while Evan Mobley posted a near triple-double with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.
Ty Jerome added 18 points off the bench, and De’Andre Hunter chipped in 17 points for Cleveland, which set the second-best record in franchise history. The Cavaliers clinched the top seed in the East for the fourth time.
Patrick Williams shone for Chicago with a season-high 21 points, including 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Matas Buzelis contributed 19 points as the Bulls, who have secured a play-in berth, continue to fight for position.
Chicago was without several key players, including Coby White (rest), Nikola Vucevic (right calf soreness), Josh Giddey (right forearm), and Lonzo Ball (right wrist sprain). White, averaging 20.7 points per game, was rested to manage his workload.
Cleveland also had a notable absence, as All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell sat out for precautionary reasons after spraining his left ankle in a game against Sacramento. Mitchell is expected to return for the playoffs but could miss additional games.
In the second quarter, Garland exploded for four three-pointers in just eight minutes, igniting a 41-21 run that pushed Cleveland’s lead to 21 points. The Cavaliers drained 10 three-pointers in the period.
The Bulls, who are missing several key contributors, struggled to keep pace with the Cavaliers, who shot efficiently and controlled the game.
Chicago will visit Miami on Wednesday for a critical play-in seeding matchup, while Cleveland travels to Indiana on Thursday.
