Get the hometown call as the Bulls and Cavaliers square off Friday night on CSN/CSN+ and streaming live on CSNChicago.com. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. with Bulls Pregame Live. Then stick around after the final buzzer to watch Bulls Postgame Live for highlights and analysis.
Click here to watch the game or download the NBC Sports App, your home for live streaming coverage of the Bulls.
Five Things to Watch
1. Neil and Stacey. CSN Chicago is the only place where you can hear Neil Funk and Stacey King give you the hometown call of Friday night's game.
2. Wade vs. LeBron. Once LeBron James changes out of his Cubs uniform and takes the United Center floor, he'll square off against one of his best buddies in Dwyane Wade. Wade admitted Friday's matchup is more than just another game, and it's always a blast watching the two future Hall of Famers battle. After winning two titles in Miami and leaving for Cleveland, James has faced Wade five times. James has a small advantage in statistics, averaging 26.8 points and 5.2 assists to Wade's 23.8 points and 3.0 assists in that span. But Wade holds a 3-2 head-to-head advantage.
3. Best of the best. The Eastern Conference appears to be a one-team race, with Cleveland out in front of everyone else. But the Bulls have played well at home this season, already earning victories over the Celtics, Blazers, Jazz and Lakers. And they've fared well against James in recent memory; since James returned to Cleveland the Bulls are 4-3 against him in Chicago.
4. Defending Kyrie Irving. While LeBron, SI's Sportsperson of the Year, is earning well-deserved praise for his start to the year, Kyrie Irving has been the Cavs' leading scorer. Irving is averaging career-bests in points, field-goal percentage, 3-pointers made and 3-point field-goal percentage. He's been a nightmare for opposing point guards, and Rajon Rondo hasn't exactly wowed anything with his defensive play. A key to the game will be Chicago's ability to limit Irving, while taking advantage of Irving's lackluster defensive play on the other end.
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5. A contrast of styles. Fred Hoiberg's offense was predicated on 3-point shooting when he arrived in Chicago at the start of last year. But his roster isn't built for that, and the Bulls rank second-to-last in 3-pointers attempted. On the other hand, the Cavaliers have relied on the deep ball as much as anyone in the Eastern Conference (and only less than the Rockets in the entire league). The Cavs will live at the 3-point line, and have at least three and as many as five capable 3-point shooters on the floor at a given time. Friday's matchup should be close, but the way the two teams score their points will not be.
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