Imrem: Bulls waste golden opportunity

The basketball gods should give the Bulls another spanking.

The Cavaliers applied the first one Wednesday night with a 106-91 victory in Game 2 of the teams' NBA East semifinal series.

"They smashed us," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Smashing, spanking, whatever.

The Bulls should be ashamed after letting the Cavaliers steal a game and tie the series at a victory apiece.

You don't hear that very often: An NBA team stealing a game at home, but that's essentially what the Cavaliers did in Cleveland.

The Bulls blew a great opportunity with the Cavs missing Kevin Love for the rest of the playoffs and J.R. Smith still sitting out a two-game suspension.

Playing without two starters was almost like the Cavaliers spotted the Bulls the first two games of the best-of-seven series.

The Cavs were lost without Love and Smith in Game 1 and the Bulls kept LeBron James from dominating.

More of the same in Game 2 and the Bulls would have a series lead that maybe not even James could overcome.

Instead, maybe all it took to turn around the teams' fortunes was James putting on a headband for the first time since early March.

"It was time for it to make a comeback," James said.

What James really did was put his cape back on and play like the best basketball player in the world, which he is. It didn't hurt the Cavs that the Bulls were flatter than a New England Patriots football.

"We came out (with) like a nonchalant attitude," Bulls guard Derrick Rose said. "The intensity wasn't there."

The Bulls, who never trailed in their previous two playoff games, never led in this one.

Before the Bulls knew what state they were in - other than a state of bewilderment - they were losing by 22 points in the first quarter.

"We were reckless," Thibodeau said.

Coming out like that against the Cavaliers and LeBron James is mind-boggling.

"This team requires you to make multiple effort," Thibodeau said. "If you don't you're going to pay. We paid tonight."

The Bulls had to know what they were getting into. Yet they came out like they were going to face the Knicks instead of the Cavaliers.

Sorry, the Bulls have no excuse for this.

Seriously, Thibodeau has no excuse for not inspiring his team. Derrick Rose has no excuse for not inspiring his teammates. Heck, even Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews has no excuse for not inspiring the Bulls.

Some teams, like these Bulls, you worry that they don't realize how good they are. This team looked like they had no idea how bad James could make them look.

James appeared to be as confused as his coaches and teammates while scoring a mere 19 points in Game 1. This time he scored 33 points and the Cavaliers followed him to victory.

On the flip side, Rose made the rest issue appear valid: with two days off, good; with one day off, not so good.

"He's still working his way back (from knee surgery)," Thibodeau said.

The rest of the series is scheduled for every other day, so Rose better work his way back faster.

The Cavaliers will get Smith back for Game 3 on Friday night, reducing the Bulls' edge.

"We're going to have to play great basketball (in Chicago)," Cavs coach David Blatt said.

The Bulls are the ones who better play great or they'll suffer another spanking.

mimrem@dailyherald.com