Check out reaction on social media following the Cavaliers' loss to the Bulls.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers lost for the first time in the 2015 NBA Playoffs on Monday night. The Bulls stole Game 1 on the road with a 99-92 win.

Following the game, fans took to Twitter to express their displeasure with Pau Gasol's wide open jumpers and beg for patience after just one game. Check out the Storify below to see reaction from Twitter following the loss.

The Chicago Bulls win the opener over rusty, short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Kyrie Irving was on the floor, shooting before the game, while the first fans were filing in. The Q looked like sunrise because bright "All In" T-shirts had been draped over every seat, making them look as though they had been sheathed in gold.

Irving kept shooting -- mid-range shots, threes, left-hand and right-hand layups, stuff from tough angles, flipped up with spin and touch. Irving said Sunday afternoon that he was prepared for these moments in his first playoff season.

But even the brightest sports future comes with a black cloud here.

The Cavaliers showed the rust of an eight-day layoff and the lack of cohesion that comes from playing two new starters because of injury and suspension, losing, 99-92, to Chicago in the opener of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series Monday night.

They gave up 13 points to Mike Dunleavy in the first quarter and trailed by 16 in the first half.

For his part, Irving missed six of his first seven shots.

The Cavs struggled because they had the spacing of a crowded elevator. The Bulls did not respect the replacements for Kevin Love and J.R. Smith -- Iman Shumpert and Mike Miller. Shumpert, however, played very well with 22 points.

The difference was precisely that which the Cavs were missing in the absent  Love and Smith -- outside shooting. The Bulls made 10 of 18 3-pointers to the Cavs' seven of 26. LeBron James and Irving were a combined one-for-eight on 3-pointers.

It was a one-sided game, dawdling along in the second quarter, until Irving began turning the heart of darkness into a very happy hour. He erupted for 10 straight points. Three came the hard way with an and-one off a mid-range jumper, an arc three, two foul shots, and a layup on which defender Noah hasn't found Irving's release point yet.

Another time, Irving jittered along the arc, slashed inside, went around various Bulls as if they were some kind of basketball pylons, and scored on a layup. He appeared to beat the entire Bulls team on the play. He had 17 points at halftime.

A rejuvenated Derrick Rose had 16 at half for Chicago, taking everyone back to  the great days before his string of injuries. He has missed 182 games in the last four seasons.

He finished Game 1 with a 25-5-5 line with 16 of his points coming in the first half. The build-up about the  great point guard match up in the series is no brag. It is fact.

The Cavs clawed back to even in the third quarter with The Q suddenly turning into King Midas' house with a team that had the golden touch. But they would never lead.

The Bulls were supposed to have moved beyond the Rose-centric pick-and-roll  offense of the past, with an inside-out game built on the size of 7-foot Pau Gasol and 6-11 Joakim Noah. 

But with Rose playing superb basketball and Gasol laying 13 more points on the Cavs in the third quarter, the pick-and-roll - actually, the pick-and-pop - was back with a vengeance.

The Cavs surrendered 15 straight points in the third quarter. They would come close after that, but never make it all the way back.

The assumption has been that in James and Irving, the Cavs will have the two best players on the floor at all times. Rose played Irving almost evenly, however, which is a win for the Bulls.

Irving played well after the slow start. Remember that in his 55-point game this season he started 0-for-7. But he and James together had to take 45 shots to get their 49 points, and the Bulls will take that every day.

"The first game of a series," said James, "is a feeling out game."

So maybe things will change, certainly by Game 3 with the return of Smith. 

Coach David Blatt summed it up well. No excuses, no nice tries. "I'm not feeling too good right now," he said.

Maybe some day things will happen in the flesh in sports here the way they were only dreamed of before.

Maybe in that alternate universe Brian Sipe will throw it to the blonde in the first row; the snap will hit the hip of the Denver guy in motion and bounce off to fourth-and-insurmountable; Earnest Byner will not fumble; Michael Jordan will miss; lions and lambs will frolic together; the city will hold a parade and players  players will hold a trophy.

But it will take four wins in the next six games for the Cavs just to keep the hope of that alive.

Check out the highlights from TNT's Game 1 broadcast.

The Cavaliers fell to the Bulls in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The game was broadcast live on TNT. Here are the broadcast highlights.

7:02 p.m.

No pregame show to speak of. It's Marv Albert, Chris Webber and Rachel Nichols. Read to get rolling.

7:02 p.m.

Webber on Mike Miller and past playoff heroics: "That was a long time ago."

7:05 p.m.

Webber finds Joakim Noah's "We respect you but we don't like you" attitude "refreshing."

7:09 p.m.

Marv points out that LeBron does not have a shot yet heading into a timeout.

Webber: "He's going to have to shoot." Cool.

7:12 p.m.

Rachel Nichols reporting: LeBron knows what Coach Thibs is going to yell out before he even opens his mouth since they've gone against each other so often.

7:14 p.m.

Irving with a beautiful up-and-under on a  layup. Webber: "Oh my goodness." No better words to describe it.

7:17 p.m.

Webber impressed with Jimmy Butler's effort to tie up Tristan Thompson on an offensive rebound. Webber calls Thompson the "best offensive rebounder in the NBA."

7:26 p.m.

Webber basically says you can't say the Cavs aren't shorthanded just because they still have Kyrie Irving and LeBron. He was responding to Thibs' comments that any team with Irving and James isn't shorthanded.

7:33 p.m.

Tom Thibodeau between the first and second quarter: "I like the pace that he's playing at. He's got to keep pushing the ball."

Chicken fries are gross and weird but this commercial makes me giggle.

-- Candy Cane (@Sasa2455) May 4, 2015

7:40 p.m.

There it is. First replay of "The Shot." Sigh.

7:40 p.m.

Webber on Craig Ehlo, who Webber says he was a big fan of, not just because he looked like a surfer but because he could knock down shots: "I just read an article where he tried to talk junk to Michael Jordan, so he's not as smart as I thought he was."

7:47 p.m.

Blatt mic'd up: We gotta be a little bit tougher on that end (points to defensive end). Butler scores on a drive on the next possession.

7:54 p.m.

Webber on a ridiculous lay-up by Irving: "You think he's going up with the left. Psych."

Kyrie Irving hits layups that look like you accidentally hit an extra button on a shot attempt in NBA2K.

-- Nillz (@TheBullsShow) May 4, 2015

7:58 p.m.

LeBron called for a goaltend. Replay from up top clearly shows goaltend. Refs call it an inadvertent whistle.

8:08 p.m.

Charles Barkley wants Derrick Rose to use his weapons more. Thought he took too many shots.

8:09 p.m.

Kenny Smith on starting the game with Mike Miller guarding Pau Gasol: "That is an insult."

8:26 p.m.

Webber praises adjustments made by David Blatt. Says he's "officially not a rookie anymore in this league." Blatt's going to have a little talk with somebody.

8:36 p.m.

Webber loves him some Mozgov, especially when he runs the floor.

8:37 p.m.

Really funny replay of Joakim Noah missed lay-up followed by Scottie Pippen in the stands standing to cheer than bending over with his hands on his head in frustration.

8:39 p.m.

Seriously, Marv Albert didn't know who Uncle Drew was? That or the #Cavs running a dead heat for most pathetic tonight.

-- Larry Phillips (@Ohiopreplegends) May 5, 2015

8:48 p.m.

Webber says that when Kevin Love comes back, Cavs should use him like the Bulls use Pau Gasol.

8:51 p.m.

Blatt on adjustments going into the fourth quarter:

"We gotta get stops. That's the big thing. We're not that far off. We're this much on every play."

"I'd like to see us get some more stops and play with more pace."

9:02 p.m.

Butler wincing after hitting a shot over LeBron. Webber says he came down on James' foot. Replay shows that's exactly what happened.

9:05 p.m.

Webber mentions problem in pick-and-roll switches that left Tristan Thompson on Derrick Rose and Kyrie Irving on Pau Gasol.

9:09 p.m.

Blatt mic'd up ends his huddle by yelling "Right here, right now!" repeatedly.

9:12 p.m.

Derrick Rose called for a charge. Webber not sure initially, but calls it "clean charge" upon replay. Changes mind back to no charge after a replay from above.

9:17 p.m.

Webber blames personnel changes on LeBron struggling with his "blind passes."

9:27 p.m.

That's it. Cavs lose for first time this postseason. On to Wednesday.

The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Dan Labbe talk about the Cavaliers' loss to Chicago.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers lost to the Bulls to open their Eastern Conference semifinal series. They will play Game 2 on Wednesday night in Cleveland.

After the game, Dennis Manoloff and I broke everything down. We talked about the loss and how the Cavaliers can bounce back. Topics included:

• Were there longterm concerns that came out of this loss?
• How did David Blatt handle his first taste of playoff adversity?
• What impact will defending the four have on LeBron James?
• Three stars of the game.

You can listen to our live postgame show immediately following every game this postseason.

Listen to the podcast in the player above or download it by clicking here.

The Cavs were outscored, 13-2, to start the game and never really could catch up. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After losing 99-92 to the Chicago Bulls, are the Cavaliers in trouble?

Yes.

But are they in big, the basketball world is about to end trouble?

No.

This is only one game in the best-of-seven series and who knew what to expect from the Cavs without two starters -- Kevin Love (shoulder surgery) and J.R. Smith (two-game suspension). 

I tend to agree with David Blatt when the Cavs coach said, "We were not that far off ... we were just a bit off on a lot of little things."

That's why I'm not in panic mode. When you have LeBron James and Kyrie Irving on your team, you can win any game on any court.

No one likes losing the first game of a series at home, but it's a very long series. The Bulls proved in their six-game series against Milwaukee that they can be a very inconsistent team.

There was no way for the Cavs to simulate what would happen in this game -- because they never were without Love and Smith in a game that mattered during the regular season.

A NEW LINEUP NEEDED

But this much is certain, Mike Miller (for Smith) in the starting lineup didn't work. The Cavs were outscored, 13-2 to start the game, and 27-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Blatt is in a tough spot. He had to pick a starter from Shawn Marion, James Jones and Miller. Well, the Cavs were outscored by a whopping 20 points with Miller on the court. In 16 minutes, he scored three points, but did grab five rebounds. He had problems with Mike Dunleavy, who drilled his first five shots (13 points) in the first quarter.

Marion was on the court for six minutes, and the only thing he did in the box score was commit a foul. Jones missed two shots, and had two rebounds in eight minutes.

Add it up and veterans Miller, Jones and Marion had three points (1-of-4 shooting) and seven rebounds in 31 minutes.

So the Cavs received so little from their three veterans.

Don't be surprised if Matthew Dellavedova starts Game 2. He played 19 minutes and the Cavs outscored the Bulls by eight points with him on the court -- chasing Derrick Rose. Dellavedova also scored five points.

None of this is appetizing. The Cavs desperately need Smith in the backcourt -- not only for his outside shooting, but his solid defense. But he's out until Game 3.

"No excuses," insisted Blatt, talking about the team's slow start and lineup issues. 

THEN THERE'S LEBRON

LeBron James had a night where he went to the boards -- 15 rebounds. He delivered nine assists, had three steals and an outrageous block. But his last field goal was with 6:14 left. He missed his final three shots, and really didn't try to impose his offensive will in the last six minutes.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau raved about James being able to guard "anyone on the court." And James did defend at least four players. Blatt raved about James on defense, and he deserved it.

He seemed to either be a bit weary or not in the middle of the offense. It's hard to believe that will happen again. It was Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert who scored 16 points in the fourth quarter. They were a combined 5-of-12 shooting, James was 2-of-5.

DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING

The Bulls' Pau Gasol scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half. Chicago continually ran a pick-and-roll near the top of the key. Irving was having a hard time staying with the dribbling Rose. Tristan Thompson often was defending Gasol.

Too many times, Rose slipped past Irving ... and Thompson tried to help defend Rose ... and Gasol was wide open for a pass and a medium range jumper.

"Those are like layups for him," said Rose.

The Cavs stopped some of the bleeding when Dellavedova came into the game and defended Rose. Blatt mentioned the adjustments on Gasol, "but it was a little too late."

So just like his players, Blatt realizes that he could have done a little more.

Rose and Gasol combined for 46 of Chicago's 99 points. The Bulls shot 50 percent from the field, and no way the Cavs can win the series if that trend continues.

"We were in that game," said Blatt "We had our shot to win that game. I really believe that."

He then added, "Once you walk into the fire, you can come away hurt badly ... or a lot smarter."

The Cavs have to quickly learn the lessons from this game as they prepare to face the Bulls on Wednesday.

The RubberDucks had only five hits overall and no batter had more than one hit.

Akron Rubberducks batters posed no threat Monday night, getting shut down by a pair of Baysox pitchers in an 8-0 Class AA Eastern League loss at Bowie, Md.

The RubberDucks had only five hits overall and no batter had more than one hit.

RubberDucks pitcher Ryan Merritt.Akron RubberDucks 

The Baysox had no such problems, racking up 13 hits, including two homers while roughing up RubberDucks starter Ryan Merritt (1-2, 4.09 ERA) and reliever Trey Haley.

Akron trailed, 3-0, entering the bottom of the sixth, but a two-run double by Baysox designated hitter David Freitas and an RBI single by left fielder Mike Yastrzemski essentially sealed the game.

Yastrzemski is the grandson of Boston Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski.

The Baysox added two more runs in the seventh with an RBI double by shortstop J.J. Hardy and an RBI single from third baseman Jason Esposito.

Akron did load the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Tyler Naquin grounded into a double play to end the game.

Bowie starter Branden Kline (3-1, 3.46) pitched seven innings, giving up just two hits and walking four. Reliever Ashut Tolliver gave up three hits in two innings, striking out one and walking two.

Merritt gave up six runs on nine hits in six innings, while Haley gave up two runs on four hits in one inning, striking out three.

Gasol finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls in the 99-92 win on Monday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With Kevin Love out, there was one certainty in the Cleveland Cavaliers' series with the Chicago Bulls -- Pau Gasol was the most dangerous frontcourt player on the floor.

On Monday, Gasol confirmed that with 21 points on 10-for-16 shooting in a 99-92 Game 1 Bulls win. He was particularly dangerous on the pick-and-pop jumper in combination with Derrick Rose. In the third quarter, Gasol had 10 points via the jumper.

"When you have a player like Pau, he's very experienced, and a free-throw jump shot is like a layup to him," Rose said. "That's a good play. It's an easy play I think."

The Cavaliers made adjustments in the fourth quarter, as Gasol only had one basket in the final 12 minutes, but it was too little too late.

"I could sit here and tell you a whole lot of technical points and explain to you why it worked," said Cavaliers coach David Blatt. "That was an area of the game we needed to do a better job in."

Monday was the second time this season that the Bulls played and beat the Cavaliers without Kevin Love. In the first game, a Feb. 12 meeting, Gasol had 18 points on 6-for-16 shooting.

The pick-and-pop against this Cavaliers lineup is something that he feels comfortable with.

"As long as we're aggressive and read what is in front us, we should be fine," Gasol said.

A lot of questions were answered about how the Cavaliers look without Love and J.R. Smith on the floor. Cleveland started Mike Miller and Iman Shumpert as it went to a smaller lineup.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said he had a feeling that Miller might start, and Chicago was preparing for it. Even though a Love for Miller swap might sound like a downgrade, Thibodeau said it presented different challenges.

"When you see a guy like Mike Miller start, he's an older player, and an older player still has the capability of being great on a given night," Thibodeau said.

With the Cavaliers choosing not to announce their lineup prior to Game 1, it left a lot up in the air. But there was enough film for the Bulls to get an idea of how the Cavaliers might look on Monday.

"We had three quarters of the last Boston game, and we had the game that Kevin didn't play against us in the regular season," Thibodeau said. "There are a lot of things you can look at. You don't know for certain. You just look at the possibilities of who they could start."

Thibodeau added that Love gives them size, rebounding and his jumper.

With those elements out of the lineup, it wasn't a sure thing that the Bulls would take advantage, and there's no lock that the success Chicago had on Monday will carry over to Game 2.

"Their roster is built so they can manage when a guy is hurt," Thibodeau said. "Any team that has LeBron and Kyrie is not shorthanded."

Contact sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Read what Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and guard Kyrie Irving had to say following their team's 99-92 loss Monday to the Chicago Bulls. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is what Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and guard Kyrie Irving had to say following their team's 99-92 loss Monday to the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at The Q Arena.

What do you attribute the slow start to?

James: For us, we had a bad start obviously. We can't afford to do that in Game 2. It could have been us being out of rhythm for eight days. It could have been what the Bulls were doing. It was a little bit of everything. A culmination of everything. And they got off to a fast start.

Irving: They got off to a fast start. Dunleavy was 5-for-5 in the first half. Just getting open looks. The pace was a lot quicker than ours. I think we were down 16-2 at one point. We didn't panic. We kept fighting. That first quarter going forward can't happen again.

The Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol pick-and-pop. What can you do better going forward there?

James: For us, Game 1 is always a feel-out game. They were exploiting our coverage. We'll get better at it. We'll come in tomorrow and watch film and see ways we can take that away and make it a little more challenging. Pau's a great midrange shooter that we found out tonight. He made us pay. We have to go back to the drawing board and see ways we can be better with that particular play. 

Coming back from a big deficit, were you tired?

Irving: We don't want to make excuses with fatigue. We have to be better with the ball, myself included, and take responsibility for making the right plays going down the stretch. There were some tough shots and tough possessions that looking on film I'll probably be disappointed in just because I know we could have got a better shot. Rushing. Wanted to take the lead so bad. I have to make better decisions.

Was LeBron switching on that many defensive assignments preordained?

James: At some point I'm going to see myself on a lot of those guys. I probably guarded everybody on their team that came into the game. Besides Aaron brooks, I don't think I got a switch off on Aaron Brooks. I played all those guys. That's the versatility I have to try and help this team. We have to be better. I wasn't that good tonight. This game is something we can learn from and come back with a better game plan in Game 2.

Is this a more diverse team you've seen from the Bulls previously? Do you have a feel for what they like to do?

James: We do. The film will show more tomorrow. We'll break it down ands see what they like to get to. Ways we can do better. Pick and rolls, pin-downs for Dunleavy. Some of their isolations for Jimmy. And offensively for us too. Ways we can take advantage of their defense. Moving the ball, sharing the ball, attacking on the weak side will always help us. For myself, six turnovers hurt us. Three of them were not attack turnovers. i can be ok with the other three. But some of them were kinda jump in the air and try and find Ky> that's a rule, You don't jump and pass. That's something I can't do. We'll watch film and go at it as a unit.

Down 1-0 in a series. What's the message to Kyrie and Tristan and the guys who haven't been in this situation?

James: We focus on the next game. Focus on tomorrow first. Watch film and see ways to get better. Try to win Game 2. That's our only concern. Can't worry about 7 games. Worry about Game 2 and come in better. Be much better than you were tonight.

How you feel about where you sit now, down 1-0?

James: As a rhythm, it was off. For a lot of obvious reasons. We had eight days off. Two of our key guys are out. That hurt us right now. Offensively, we'll be much better going into Game 2. There's a lot I need to see on film before I can answer. But we played the game too fast. We didn't turn the ball over. I had 2/3 of our turnovers. You don't want to turn it over against a defense like this. But I think we played too fast offensively and it hurt us.

Kyrie started 1-for-7 from the floor. How did you find your rhythm?

Irving: Doing whatever it takes to win. You don't want to start 1-7 but in my short career I've had worse shooting nights. LeBron is looking for me to be aggressive. Get to the free throw line as much as possible. Some shots in and out. But I just continued to be aggressive. I'm going to play my game and do whatever I can for our team.

Read what Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt said after his team's 99-92 loss to Chicago Bulls Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is what Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt said after his team lost to the Chicago Bulls, 99-92, Monday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at The Q Arena.

What do you attribute the slow start to?

Blatt: This is going to be a common theme throughout this press conference. No excuses. We didn't start well enough and we didn't play well enough to win that game.

Did your team run out of gas in the fourth quarter?

Blatt: We thad to fight our way back into the game. We couldn't let the game get away from us. When it came down to it, we went with the guys who put us in that position. We did what we had to do to try to win the game

Assess your defense on Derrick Rose.

Blatt: I think there were a lot of things we could have done a little btter. That's also something that was common throughout the game. We were just a little off. A lot of little things that were important. We have to turn that around and make up for that. That's the only way to beat this team.

Was it in the game plan to have LeBron switch on defense and guard several different players?

Blatt: That's something he can do. We ask a lot of him. That's not new. That's the reality. What we need him to do. I thought he did a great job tonight guarding multiple positions and rebounding the ball. He was active and he got his hands on the ball.

Was there a silver lining in being in the game late, despite being without two starters?

Blatt: I'm not feeling too good right now. But in my mind am I positive? And do I believe that given a little more in aspects of the game are we capable of winning? Yes. That doesn't guarantee anything. Me saying it is not enough to guarantee it. But I do believe it. There's hope ahead of us. We've just got to play a little better.

Did you make any adjustments to the pick-and-pop with Pau Gasol?

Blatt: We did adjust to that, just a little late. 

How much uncertainty was there within the team getting on the court without Love and Smith?

Blatt: Every day and every game teaches you something. Once you walk into the fire, you're going to come out either hurt badly or a lot smarter. Hopefully we come out a lot smarter. Coming in we knew what we were looking at. We had to go through it to learn from it. 

Are you considering a lineup change for Game 2?

Blatt: I'm always thinking about everything. I think for us, not having our normal rotation and roster, we have to adjust to things and be creative. At the same time, everything we're doing we have to be that much better and that much more exact. We're playing against a good team as it is. We have to be better at every point of the game and gain us a little ground. We're not far off. We've got to do a little better.

Assess the play of your small lineup.

Blatt: At times it was better  and at times it was not as good as we'd hoped. It didn't go as well in the beginning as we hoped. We played Delly and Kyrie and Tristan and LeBron and Shump. We saw some of both. We'll probably see more of both because we'll have to. This is a series of adjustments by necessity. When we're playing, we've got to do the little things that much better.

What strategies can you use against Derrick Rose in the pick-and-roll?

Blatt: We'll take a look. I could tell you technical stuff and explain why it worked and why coverage didn't work. That was an area we need to do a better job in. We made certain adjustments and need to look and see if we want to stay with that. This was a very close game. Even though at times they had big leads. We were in that game. We had our shot to win that game. I really believe it. For the most part we took care of the basketball. We didn't shoot it well from the 3. Those are things you have to do against Chicago. They pack the paint and make it very tough. All of those things are why we came up short. We're going to go back to work tomorrow.

Read what Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said after his team defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 99-92.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is what Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said after his team defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 99-92, Monday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at The Q Arena.

Do you have any word on Derrick Rose's injury late in the game?

Thibodeau: I think he's fine. (Trainer) said it was a little bit of a stinger.

Your thoughts on Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler tonight.

Thibodeau: Not only in the fourth quarter, but at the start of the game they set the tone. Derrick did great with the pick-and-rolls trusting the pass. We've gotta move the ball and make quick decisions and go from there.

There was a late 10-0 run and Pau hit two jumpers late.

Thibodeau: We know how good they are. There's going to be runs in the game. Important to answer those runs and trust the pass. If they load up, we need to trust to find the open guy, if we do that we re very good offensively. LeBron is so good with team defense. Kyrie is very disruptive. Shumpert is terrific. Mozgov gives them size at the rim. We know we're going to have to play a lot better than we did today.

Thoughts on Dunleavy's quick start.

Thibodeau: Mike was moving well without the ball. He never stops moving. That's what makes him so valuable. The threat of his shot. Moving in space. He spaces the floor. He's very unselfish if he's guarded. Doesn't get credit for scoring or an assist. But he spaces the floor well.

Was there a strategy to face guarding Tristan Thompson.

Thibodeau: He's as good as it gets in terms of going to the boards. Sometimes it requires more than one. He's physical. We've got to keep a body on him. He still manages to get to it. Finishing your defense is critical. Challenging the shot and the rebounding component. 

On the Bulls' shooting.

Thibodeau: Sharing the ball was important. The ball movement. And we kept our turnovers down. Rebounding. Playing inside-out. Necessary to win. Put in position to win. You can never let your guard down. You can get up 10, 12 but they can score in a hurry. They put a lot of pressure on you.

Are you starting to trust good shooting nights to win?

Thibodeau: Its always those five things. Defense, rebounding, low turnovers, playing inside-out, sharing the ball. When you look at those things, it gives you the answer as to whether you win or lose. In the playoffs you have to be well balanced. Strong on both sides of the ball.

On the pick-and-pop working for Pau Gasol, and Jimmy Butler's effort.

Thibodeau: Pau is probably as skilled a big man as you'll find in the league. He can score in different ways. He's very effective. And he's unselfish. Those are some of the things that makes him hard to guard. If you play physical on him, he can play away from the basket. If you guard him small, he can play close to the basket. Jimmy, we ask him to do a lot. LeBron does everything. Jimmy's that type of player for us. if winning's important, that's what you do.

Jimmy says he's not intimidated by LeBron.

Thibodeau: Jimmy's a fierce competitor. We have great respect for all their players. Jimmy does as well. Doesn't mean you're afraid to compete. Jimmy's show that throughout his career. Against this team, it's going to test your will. You can't take a possession off. 

How big is it to flip home court?

Thibodeau: It's the start. You can't get wrapped up in it. We make corrections, come out and play a lot better the next game. It's the fist team to four. We know its a battle. We can't let our guard down.

How did you prepare for who they were going to start?

Thibodeau: You see wheat happens when guys are out. And there was a game which Kevin didn't play against us in regular season. You don't know for certain. What are the possibilities? We talked about Mike Miller. We felt that he could be the guy. They're versatile and well put together. When you have a guy like LeBron, that's the value in him. He really doesn't have a position. He's just a great basketball player.

What's it like being healthy and having the opponent being banged up?

Thibodeau: I don't know if we're healthy. We're still laboring through some stuff. When you're banged up, you've got to play with great intensity. We've had a lot of guys miss a lot of time this year. We need everybody on our roster.

Was Jimmy able to guard LeBron without double teams?

Thibodeau: When you play against LeBron, you can't give him a steady diet of anything. You have to give him a lot of looks. he's going to make you pay for body position mistakes. He's going to make you pay for team defense mistakes. You need everyone locked into him. It's not only him, its what he does for all the other guys as well. You have to measure all of that.

What areas were you able to take advantage of Kevin Love not being on the floor?

Thibodeau: When somebody else comes in, it gives them different strengths and weaknesses. When you see  a guy like Mike Miller start, he's an older player, but he still has the ability to be great on given night. That concerns you. He's more catch-and-shoot. We were more concerned about how he goes to the offensive board. His strengths are obviously different. Kevin gives them size, rebounding, shooting. Their roster is built so they can manage if a guy is hurt or out. Any team that has LeBron and Kyrie, they're not shorthanded.

Read what Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol and guard Derrick Rose had to say following their team's 99-92 win Monday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is what Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol and guard Derrick Rose had to say following their team's 99-92 win Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at The Q Arena.

Tell us about the play late that you appeared to injure your shoulder.

Rose: It was a stinger. That was my first time every having one. It went away in five minutes. Hopefully tomorrow it's not sore. It's not something I'm worried about.

Could you have gone back in?

Rose: Yeah. I would have forced it. Me just being out there puts pressure on the defense. I would have found a way to play.

Talk about the pace set by Derrick in the first half.

Gasol: He set the tone on both ends of the floor. He was aggressive and we had great flow. Being aware and communicating. Very positive overall. They made their runs, but we reacted well and stayed poised. 

Talk about playing on two days rest.

Rose: I can't think about that. The only thing I can think about is having fun. That was my main goal. Getting my teammates involved quick. We came out with a game plan. With a talented team like them. We had to make sure we execute. Put bodies in front of them. And then we got into the groove of the game.

Talk about the confidence your team has going into this series.

Gasol: We must have confidence in a series going against anyone. No matter the opponent. We car in with the right mindset and attitude. That's the mindset we need to have in order to be successful.

During a 15-0 run, what helped you make plays?

Gasol: We made plays it was a great run by our offense. Derrick was aggressive. I was able to knock down the jumper. when they rotated, we swuyng it and foun the open man.

On the first game of a series.

Rose: It's about just reading the other team. When you're playing in the playoffs and it's the first game, you've got to see what they're going to do on the pick-and-roll, who they're double-teaming off of, who they aren't double teaming. You're reading the first game, and I think tonight we made the adjustments during the game.

On what playing the game at this level means to him.

Rose: I'm just appreciative of everything about the sport - working out every day, getting back on the floor, my fans... just every aspect of basketball. It's allowed me to not only change my life and my family's life, but my friends' as well. I owe so much to the sport. I don't even look at it like a sport anymore. I look at it like art... It's just an honor to be here and I'm just trying to roll with it.

No Kevin Love. No J.R. Smith. No win for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- No Kevin Love. No J.R. Smith. No win for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The short-handed Cavs suffered their first postseason loss, 99-92, against upset-minded Chicago on Monday night, the first loss at home in a meaningful game since January.

Kyrie Irving dazzled with 30 points on 10-of-23 from the field, finishing as the leading scorer. LeBron James added 19 points and recorded team-highs in rebounds (15) and assists (nine), but also made costly mistakes late. Iman Shumpert scored a playoff career-high 22 points as he started in place of Smith, who is serving the first of a two-game ban for his cheap shot in the series finale against Boston.

Here are five observations from the Game 1 loss:

Slow start -- The Cavs looked out of sync and out of rhythm early, falling behind by 12 points by the end of the first quarter. They trailed by as many as 16 in the first half before a furious finish trimmed the Bulls' lead to five at halftime.

"For us, we had a bad start obviously and we can't afford to do that in game two in order to even the series up," James admitted. "It could have been just us being out of rhythm for eight days, it could have been what the Bulls were doing -- it was a little bit of everything, a culmination of everything. They got off to a fast start."

James is right. It was the perfect storm and it was predictable, but Cavs head coach David Blatt wasn't willing to take that point of view.

"No excuses," he said. "We just didn't start well enough and we just didn't play well enough to win the game."

Starting slow has been a theme in three of the five postseason games, trailing at the end of the first quarter three times. In Round One, they let Boston set the tone before rallying to erase deficits at the snap of a finger because of the enormous talent gap. But that no longer exists.

These aren't the Celtics in the other locker room. It's a deep, talented, balanced and experienced Bulls' team that has arrived in Cleveland riding a wave of momentum.

"We must have confidence going into a series against anyone, no matter who the opponent is," Pau Gasol said after pouring in 21 points on an efficient 10-of-16 from the field. "I think we came in with the right mindset and attitude, not really easing into the series but really going after it. That's the mindset that we need to have on a consistent basis if we want to be successful."

It wouldn't hurt the Cavs to approach Game 2 the same way.

Smith won't be available. Blatt doesn't have a quality option to replace Love. The Bulls present matchup problems. There are issues that popped up Monday. But the Cavs must correct the controllable issues and that starts with not getting behind early and having to expend so much energy just staying in the game.

"We don't want to make excuses for fatigue or anything like that," Irving said. "We just have to be better with the ball, including myself and take responsibility for making the right plays going down the stretch."

Still, it's hard to ignore given Irving played 44 minutes, James logged 42, Shumpert played a season-high 41 and Tristan Thompson provided 37 minutes off the bench.

The Cavs erased two separate double-digit leads, but never once led, failing to make the big plays in crunch time the way they did against Boston.

"We focus on the next game," James said of the approach. "Focus on tomorrow first when we are going to watch the film and we are going to see ways we can get better. Things that we have to do to be better and try to win in Game 2. That's our only concern. Don't worry about seven games because if you worry about seven games you might not even get there. You worry about game two and you come in better. We'll be much better than we were tonight."

Full bloom -- I had very little feel for this series before it started. There were many mysteries, including what Blatt's rotation would look like.

There was also uncertainty about Derrick Rose, who had an uneven showing against the Bucks and is continuing to find his form after another injury-riddled regular season. The Rose that showed up to Quicken Loans Arena, the one riding an exercise bike to stay loose every time he was subbed out, looks to be a threat to the Cavs' title chances just as he did in an exhibition game in Columbus back in October.

The talented point guard scored 25 points, dished out five assists, grabbed five rebounds and hit numerous key shots, silencing the crowd and halting the Cavs momentum. 

Midway through the third quarter, the Cavs had trimmed the Bulls' lead to three when Rose made a pullup jumper. The one-time MVP followed that with a three-pointer, pushing the edge back to eight.

Then in the final period, there were six minutes remaining and James had just barreled through the lane for a layup, making it a one-possession game. Rose didn't panic. With a steely look in his eye, he surveyed the defense and buried a contested 20-footer, creating the necessary breathing room.

"It's about just reading," Rose said. "When you're playing in the playoffs and it's the first game, you've got to see what they're going to do on the pick-and-roll, who they're double-teaming off of, who aren't they double teaming. You're reading the first game, and I think tonight we made adjustments during the game."

When I predicted the Cavs to win in seven my was they would have the two best players in the series along with homecourt advantage.

Homecourt has been stolen away and Cleveland's duo didn't play to its reputation. Instead it was Rose who controlled the game from the opening tip, playing Irving to an essential draw. James, while stuffing the stat sheet, wasn't good enough, committing six turnovers and making baffling decisions down the stretch. 

Without Love, James' responsibilities increase. In order to fend off the hard-charging Bulls, he needs to be the best player on the court every night during this series, with Irving a close second. The series lidlifter resulted in something different.

"I wasn't that good tonight," James said. "I have to be better."

Adjustments needed -- When the Cavs watch the film they will lament a few different things, but none bigger than leaving Gasol wide open for midrange jumpers. Rose and Gasol bludgeoned the Cavs on pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pops all night, including a blistering stretch in the third quarter when Gasol canned 6-of-8 shots.

"Game one is always a 'feel out' game," James admitted when asked about defending Chicago's sets better. "Obviously they were exploiting us with our coverage. We'll come in tomorrow and we'll watch film and we will see ways we can take that away or make it a little more challenging. Obviously Pau is a great midrange shooter; that we found out tonight. He made us pay. We have to go back to the drawing board and see ways that we can be better with that particular play - when Pau is popping to the elbow and making those shots."

Added Shumpert: "We think we can do a better job than letting Pau have that much space. We tested him & he showed us he can knock that down"

Did the Cavs not watch him win two titles in Los Angeles? There's 14 years of evidence, showing his shooting prowess. Did they get doctored film from Chicago in the regular season? There's no reason to "test" him. The midrange J is Gasol's money shot, one Rose said the Spaniard tosses into the hoop like a layup.

"We kept running it because it was working for us," Gasol said.

On the season, the NBA leader in double-doubles is 125-of-267 (47 percent) from 15-19 feet. Few are better from that distance, meaning the Cavs will have to come up with a new game plan and one that includes guarding the talented 7-footer near the free throw line.

The Cavs would actually be better off going under the screen and inviting Rose to fire away, considering he is a 34 percent mid-range shooter, connecting on 35-of-103 from 15-19 feet during the season. 

Lineup changes -- Blatt tabbed Mike Miller as Love's replacement. It was an interesting move considering the sharpshooter didn't see the floor during the sweep against Boston and the five-man lineup hadn't played a single minute together during the regular season.

Blatt didn't explain, but he covets floor spacing and Miller is the most likely candidate to go on a three-point binge similar to Smith. He's also a quality rebounder and a heady player. No matter the thought process, it didn't work. 

Not only did Chicago attack him with Mike Dunleavy, who exploded for 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the first quarter, but Miller was a no-show on offense, going 0-for-1 in the first quarter as Chicago built a quick 14-point advantage. He went on to register a plus-minus of -20 in 16 minutes on the court, finishing with three points on 1-of-2 from the floor. 

"I'm thinking about everything," Blatt said about another lineup change. "I'm always thinking about everything. I think that for us not having our normal rotation and normal roster, we have to adjust to things and we have to try and be creative. At the same time, everything we're doing, we have to be that much better and that much more exact because our margin of error is going to be smaller and we're playing against a very good team as it is. We're certainly not that far off. We've got to do a little better."

Blatt might've stumbled on something in the final nine minutes when he turned to a lineup of James, Irving, Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova and Thompson. The group picked up the defensive intensity and won the quarter, 22-18.

"We had to fight our way back into the game," Blatt said. "We couldn't let the game get away from us. When it came down to the minutes to win or lose the game, we went with the guys that put us in that position."

This series will test the Cavs and Blatt. Replacing Love isn't possible -- he's that valuable. The first-year coach is trying to piece together a capable rotation and find a lineup he can trust in the middle of what could be the toughest series during this playoff run. 

Busy signal when dialing long distance -- The three-pointer, which was a lethal weapon for the Cavs during the second half of the year, has started to fade from the arsenal.

It happened even before Love and Smith, two of Cleveland's most accomplished three-point bombers, were taken out of the lineup.

On Monday night, the team finished 7-of-26 (26.9 percent) from three-point range and have now made just seven total triples three different times in five tries after averaging nearly 12 makes in the final three months of the season.

That could be a problem against Chicago, which went 10-of-18 (55.6 percent) from beyond the arc. This isn't new for the Bulls, the second-best three-point shooting team in the postseason, averaging 41.4 percent. They are also averaging 11 made triples per contest, trailing only Golden State and Atlanta.

Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Joe Vardon and Chris Haynes recapped the loss against the Bulls during the postgame show. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their first game of the postseason on Monday night, 99-92, against the Chicago Bulls. 

Short-handed and playing their first game in eight days, the Cavs looked out of sorts early, forced to use a new lineup combination due to J.R. Smith's suspension and Kevin Love's season-ending injury. They never recovered as the Bulls led for all 48 minutes in the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. 

Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 30 points while Iman Shumpert, starting for Smith, added a playoff career-high 22 points. 

The Cavs have lost homecourt advantage and will have to regroup and make adjustments prior to Wednesday's Game 2 at Quicken Loans Arena.

Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Joe Vardon and Chris Haynes recapped the loss against the Bulls during the postgame show.

The trio talked about how much the layoff hurt the team early, how to summarize LeBron James' night, why Mike Miller earned the start and which player should take his place in Game 2. The guys also talked about changing the strategy against Pau Gasol and how the Cavs should feel after dropping the opener. 

Browns coach Mike Pettine told 92.3 The Fan that Josh McCown is the likely starter heading into camp.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Coach Mike Pettine indicated in a radio interview Monday that Josh McCown is the Browns' frontrunner to be the Browns' starting quarterback   heading into camp.

Asked specifically by Adam "The Bull'' on Browns radio partner 92.3 The Fan if McCown is "at least the favorite to be the starting quarterback going into training camp,'' Pettine said "I think it's fair to say that.''

Later 92.3 The Fan clarified The Bull was asking if McCown is the favorite to start the season heading into camp. Pettine may have meant that McCown is the favorite to begin camp as the starter, not the season. 

Regardless, the answer took things a step further than what Pettine said on April 21, nine days before the draft, when he wasn't ready to say McCown was the likely starter for anything.

At that point, the Browns weren't exactly sure yet how things might play out during the draft. They were still considering their options, including the possibility of trading up for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. They probably also would've at least considered trading for Sam Bradford had Eagles coach Chip Kelly been willing to part with him.

"We're a ways away from just kind of worrying about how the depth part of it shakes out,'' Pettine said that day.  "They're all in that room, and they're all trying to learn it. Josh, obviously, has an advantage having been in this system where there's a lot of carryover because he worked with (offensive coordinator John DeFilipppo) Flip before. I know a lot of those similar roots are in there, but we don't really kind of get into depth charts and where guys are.''

Also on April 21, Pettine went on to clarify that he wasn't christening McCown the No. 1 quarterback on the roster just because of his familiarity with DeFilipppo and the system.

"I'm not going to get into penciling in guys and say, 'Hey, this guy's a starter,''' he said. "We thrive on competition. I'm not prepared to make that statement yet."

But Monday, after the Browns had determined that the pricetag on Mariota was too high and when no other opportunities presented themselves, Pettine was willing to acknowledge -- at the very least -- that McCown will likely be taking the first-team reps over Johnny Manziel, Thad Lewis and Connor Shaw.

"Josh has proven in the right circumstances that he can be successful,'' Pettine told 92.3 The Fan during the Bull and Fox show.  "I think it was pretty clear to us when we looked into the results of what happened for him a year ago (1-10 in Tampa Bay) that a lot of those circumstances were outside of his control that made the year as difficult as it was.

"We just look back to when he was in Chicago when he had a pretty good supporting cast around him and he was able to be more than functional. He had a very successful year. When you build the team right, it minimizes the importance of the quarterback.''

Pettine stressed that the Browns aren't fooling themselves about the quarterback position. After all, in a pass-oriented league, the Browns finished last in the NFL with 12 touchdown passes last season.

"We all understand the quarterback is the most important position in football -- maybe in all of professional sports,'' he said. "We don't (want to) come across as, 'Hey we can treat him as just another player.' Obviously that's not the case. But at the same time, we feel we can minimize the impact of that position by being great around him."

Pettine also elaborated on his statement Saturday that the Browns aren't going to overprioritize the quarterback position.

"It would be a situation where you throw too many resources at that position and you end up hurting yourself,'' he said. "It came up a lot with Philadelphia where they talked about mortgaging the future and overcommitting too much to one spot. We certainly explored all of our available options and we also looked at the price tag that was associated it. You have to make a decision on what's best for the team. You have to be prudent and you don't want to put yourself in a position where you make a reckless decision and it's true at all positions. We're always looking to drive competition.''

Both the Browns and the Eagles, who had the No. 20 overall pick, determined that the Titans' asking price for Mariota was too high. It would've differed from team to team, but the Browns likely would have had to surrender not only this year's 12 and 19, but next year's first-round pick -- plus possibly more picks or players.

"We invested a first-round pick in a quarterback last year and a lot of people just expect us to bail on Johnny after just one season because of what's happened (with him needing rehab),'' said Pettine. "I get it. It's a world of instant gratification and that motivates a lot of decisions, but we can't let that dictate our roster.

"I believe in our team, I believe in building the team, I believe in our coaching staff and it's on us to find ways to win consistently even if people perceive us as having a less-than-stellar quarterback room. Some people are going to view our circumstances as tough, but we take that as a challenge. We like to say, 'When it's tough on everybody else, it's just right for us.' ''

Pettine reiterated that the Browns didn't make the Titans an offer for the pick because of the information they had.

"We knew what the price tag would be, and like I said before, I think that would've been something that would've been reckless to give up and to me it goes back to our philosophy at all positions. We want the right player, but it also has to come at the right price.''

Now that the Browns haven't added another potential starter, it's no surprise that McCown has the inside track to start the season. Pettine has been making it clear all offseason that he's prepared to turn the offense over to the 11-year veteran.

"I'd be comfortable (with him starting), I would,'' Pettine said in March at the Cleveland Auto Show. "He's proven he can start in this league. I'm not going to stand here and announce that's the situation. We'll see what our roster looks like when we get to September. But here's a guy who has played quality minutes in this league and brings a lot to our organization on and off the field."

Pettine has emphasized that McCown's 1-10 record in Tampa Bay last season was due, in part, to the fact the Bucs' first-year coordinator had to quit a week before the season because of a heart ailment.  McCown and the interim coordinator improvised as they went along.

"We would not have brought him here if we didn't feel that (he could win),'' said Pettine. "If you talk to anybody that's been with him, they just rave about the character and football aptitude, how he makes people around him better as far as just being an example of professionalism and maturity. But that's not why we brought him here. If we wanted a mentor, that's why you bring a coach in that can do that. To me it's the guy can still play. When the circumstances are right he's shown he can play at a high level."

The starting lineups for the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals for Tuesday night feature a pitching matchup between undefeated Danny Salazar and left-hander Jason Vargas at Kauffman Stadium.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Here are the starting lineups for Tuesday night's game between the Indians and Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Indians

2B Jason Kipnis.

1B Carlos Santana.

CF Michael Brantley.

LF Ryan Raburn.

RF Brandon Moss.

DH Nick Swisher.

SS Mike Aviles.

3B Lonnie Chisenhall.

C Roberto Perez.

RHP Danny Salazar (3-0, 3.32).

Royals

LF Alex Gordon.

3B Mike Moustakas.

DH Kendrys Morales.

1B Eric Hosmer.

C Salvador Perez.

2B Omar Infante.

RF Paulo Orlando.

CF Jarrod Dyson.

SS Christian Colon.

LHP Jason Vargas (2-1, 5.95).

LeBron James has heaped praise on opposing coaches during the playoffs. Of his coach, David Blatt, James says he needs to fix the game plan.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - The last time it happened Monday night, LeBron James was so upset that he chucked the ball against the stanchion after it fell through the hoop.

The Bulls had run a pick-and-roll with Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol, again. Once again, no Cavs defender was in Gasol's zip code. Once again, this time with 3:26 left in the Bulls' eventual 99-92 victory over Cleveland in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal, Gasol thanked the Cavs for the gift-wrapped jumper by ripping it through the net.

In summary, the Bulls crushed the Cavs on the pick-and-roll, largely (but not exclusively) with Rose and Gasol running the play. Rose scored 25 points and Gasol 21, with Gasol's points coming on 10-of-16 shooting.

Gasol scored nine of Chicago's 15 consecutive points during a stretch in the third quarter. In most cases, rather than "rolling" toward the hoop after setting the pick, Gasol merely turned around and waited for a pass. He was so open that an obvious question prior to Game 2 Wednesday night at The Q is what went so wrong with Cleveland's pick-and-roll defense? Was it the players' fault for poor execution or something else?

"It wasn't miscommunication," James said after Tuesday. "Some of it was some of our game plan and some of it was we could've gave a better effort. But it wasn't too much miscommunication at all."

Whenever James references issues with the game plan, it can create some tension. Also, before Monday's game James called Blatt a "rookie coach" again. Almost nothing irritates Blatt (who by NBA standards is a rookie but has decades of experience coaching overseas) more than when that label is laid upon him.

James stated the obvious Tuesday when he called Game 2 "a game that we must have." It was a reference not to Blatt, but to the very real danger of going to Chicago for Games 3 and 4 in an 0-2 hole.

But how Blatt addresses his team's pick-and-roll problem will impact more than just the outcome of Game 2. He will either prove, or he won't, to the Cavs' hierarchy and to James that he can coach and adjust in the pressure cooker of the NBA season.

Even with the misfortune suffered last week in losing Kevin Love (for the playoffs) and J.R. Smith (for two games), the team is still favored to reach the Finals on the backs of James and Kyrie Irving.

If his words are a judge, James is most certainly watching. Since the postseason began more than two weeks ago, James has gone to some lengths to praise opposing coaches. First, it was Boston's Brad Stevens, who at 38 is 17 years younger than Blatt with one more year of NBA experience and, now, four fewer playoff victories.

Twice James offered unsolicited praise of Stevens, including after the Cavs' series-clinching victory on April 26 when he was asked who on the Celtics he respected.

"I highly respect their coaching staff, and especially their head coach," James said. "Very well-coached team. He put those guys out there every night and put them in a position to win the game. And I think Brad Stevens is a very good young coach in our league."

This week, James has spoken with admiration about Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, with whom he at least has a history, stemming from their three previous playoff battles with Thibodeau as Chicago's coach and before that when Thibodeau was a Celtics assistant under Doc Rivers.

Describing his familiarity with Thibodeau's defensive calls on Monday, James said "when you go against certain teams and certain coaches, I know (San Antonio's Gregg) Popovich very well, he's probably the greatest coach ever in our league and then you have Tibs ... I went against Tibs, I went against Doc (Rivers) and there are so many great coaches and you kind of hear the calls and you know what they are, but it doesn't mean you always are successful against them, you still have to execute."

None of those comments is a direct affront to Blatt. Of his coach, with whom he's developed a working relationship after a tenuous start, James preached Blatt's continuous improvement.

"We all have grown as a team and as a coaching staff, they've put us in position to succeed and it's because of him and the great coaching staff that we have," James said. "So for him being a rookie coach -- in the NBA -- it's been a learning experience every day and he's figured out a way to adjust to it very well."

Blatt's ability to design a scheme to take away the Bulls' pick-and-roll with Rose and Gasol, with Thibodeau on Chicago's sideline, would no doubt go a long way in James' mind.

As for the specifics of the defense Monday night, Cleveland appeared to try to double-team Rose, with Tristan Thompson leaving Gasol to help Kyrie Irving. Only Thompson often didn't reach Rose until he was already past Gasol and into the lane, with Irving on his hip. Gasol was alone.

"There are 12 different ways to defend pick-and-roll," Blatt said Tuesday. "I think against really good teams, it's hard to use the same tactic throughout a game unless you're just having spot-on success with it. Sometimes you have to adjust or sometimes with different players you have to play it a little bit differently."

Blatt wouldn't divulge the inner workings against the pick-and-roll, but he said the Cavs' road to recover starts "starts by doing it better."

"We definitely didn't do a great job in that part of the game yesterday," Blatt said. "No getting around it, and we have to do better. If it means changing, then we will. If it just means doing what we planned to do better, that will be it to."

Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has taken an important step in his recovery: he's moved

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has moved out of his hustling, bustling downtown apartment at the The 9 and onto the front nine.

Manziel, fresh off his 10-week stint in rehab, moved out of the downtown hotspot and into a West side suburb, a source confirmed for Northeast Ohio Media Group.

Browns safety Donte Whitner said on a radio show last week that Manziel had abandoned his downtown digs, a sign that he's serious about staying on the straight and narrow. And Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported Tuesday that Manziel has moved into a golf community and has been using the sport as an outlet after being discharged from rehab.

A source told Northeast Ohio Media Group that it was part of Manziel's aftercare program to move away from the party scene and into a less tempting environment.

It was at the The 9 where Manziel was involved in an altercation with "a very intoxicated, very aggressive person'' who he said put his hands on him and "messed with him'' on Nov. 22, the night before the Falcons game. The fan, Chris Gonos of Sandusky, accused Manziel's roommate of assaulting him, but later apologized for the incident in an email to Northeast Ohio Media Group.

The 9 was also where Browns security personnel found Manziel oversleeping for his treatment the day before the season finale in Baltimore.  Manziel was fined for that incident, and it was one of the incidents that led to his decision to check himself into the Caron addiction treatment center.

A source said Manziel moving out of The 9 was an important step in his ongoing recovery process.

The Browns have been pleased with what they've seen from Manziel since he rejoined the team for the start of the off-season program April 20. Browns left tackle Joe Thomas, who grew weary of Manziel's non-stop off-the-field antics last season, told NFL Network last week that the change in Manziel has been "night and day'' and that he's now got his nose in the playbook on a Saturday instead of partying.

Other veterans, including Donte Whitner and Joe Haden, have complimented Manziel for how hard he's working and how different he is. Coach Mike Pettine said he's seen the change too, but stressed that actions speaks louder than words.

Pettine also told 92.3 The Fan on  Monday "it's fair to say'' that Josh McCown is the favorite to be the starting quarterback as the team heads into camp.

Pettine stressed after the draft that the Browns aren't expecting Manziel to do anything extraordinary and that he needs to focus on his recovery first and foremost.

"Just come to work every day and perfect your craft,'' he said of his message to Manziel. "He shouldn't feel any pressure to do anything more than that. It goes back to the old cliche that 'All we ask of you is all that you got.' He just comes in everyday and it is going to be very structured for him, as with all the quarterbacks in that room. Just looking forward to him being here, putting the work in and seeing what happens."

The Cleveland Cavaliers spent the early hours of Tuesday morning dissecting film of their Game 1 loss against the Chicago Bulls, their first stumble in the postseason.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers spent the early hours of Tuesday morning dissecting film of their Game 1 loss against the Chicago Bulls, their first stumble in the postseason.

Following the afternoon's practice, head coach David Blatt and LeBron James sounded optimistic about the chances of evening the series, knowing what they have to do against the seasoned Bulls.

It's a long series. Each side will make numerous adjustments. But not everyone believes the Cavs can bounce back.

"They can't win without Kevin Love," TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley stated during Monday's broadcast. "He never got enough credit for what he did. He's a terrific rebounder but the game comes down to space. They are not going to get bigger by Wednesday and they are going to miss J.R. Smith again. Even when they had Kevin we thought they were the best team in the NBA because of their upside." 

Love is out for the remainder of the postseason and faces a cloudy Cleveland future after undergoing surgery on his injured left shoulder. Smith has one more game to serve in his two-game ban. Neither player witnessed Monday's loss in person. Smith is banned from the arena per league rules and Love continues to recover in a New York hospital. 

"We want to see him here, of course," Blatt said about whether Love is expected to be in the building for Game 2. "Hopefully he will be here. That would be great. We love him and we want to see him here."

An intangible spark might be the boost the Cavs need to avoid another sluggish start, but that will wear off quickly and it won't make up for his immense on-court contributions. Without him, Blatt put Mike Miller in the starting lineup, using a lineup that hadn't played together at all in the regular season. He closed the game with a five-man unit that hadn't played much together either. It's an on-the-fly challenge Blatt will be dealing with throughout the series.

"I thought Cleveland had size with Love," NBA analyst Kenny Smith said. "Now they become a small team."

The size issues and defensive breakdowns were apparent early. Miller couldn't keep up with Mike Dunleavy running around screens. Jimmy Butler took advantage of mismatches and buried a few open jumpers en route to a 20-point night. Pau Gasol made 8-of-8 uncontested midrange jumpers as the Cavs couldn't figure out the best approach on the Derrick Rose-Gasol pick-and-roll. He finished with 21 points and will be a point of emphasis on the Game 2 scouting report.

"This is a different Bulls team," Barkley said. "Derrick Rose doesn't have to do it all by himself. He has a lot of weapons." 

Missing Smith and Love puts more pressure on James offensively as well as defensively. He guarded every player on the Chicago roster who saw court time, but failed to score in the final six minutes. The stat sheet shows a near triple-double and an all-around effort. Blatt lauded his leader following Tuesday's practice, but James and others were more critical of his play, knowing he didn't do enough, understanding something will have to change.

"Those two guys have to be special, not just great," Smith said in reference to James and Kyrie Irving.

Before the series started, many saw two evenly matched teams that would have to slug it out for the duration. So what has changed? 

Nothing, according to NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal.

"It's still a six or seven game series," he said.  

Get live updates and chat with beat writer Paul Hoynes in the comments section below as the Indians and Royals begin their three-games series Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Get live updates and chat with beat writer Paul Hoynes in the comments section below as the Indians and Royals begin their three-games series Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium. Cleveland's Danny Salazar will face Kansas City's Jason Vargas at 8:10.

Game 25: Indians (9-15) vs. Royals (16-9)

First pitch: 8:10 p.m. ET at Kauffman Stadium

TV/radio: STO; WMMS FM/100.7; WTAM 1100

A look at week three of the Ohio softball coaches poll.