See spring sports highlights from Thursday, May 7, 2015.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are spring sports highlights from Thursday's action based on box scores reported to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

For more information on how to report box scores, please email High School Sports Manager Kristen Davis (kdavis@cleveland.com).

Hawken baseball outlasts Cornerstone Christian

Hawken scored four runs in the fifth inning of an 8-7 win against Cornerstone Christian on Thursday night. Tommy Murphy and Jimmy Clark led the team with two runs each, and Evan Faxon had a team-high three RBI.

For Cornerstone Christian, two players had three RBI, but it was unable to capitalize on its own four-run fourth frame.

Chagrin Falls baseball powers past Rocky River, 9-2

Chagrin Falls used a six-run third inning to defeat Rocky River on Thursday. For the Tigers, Max Maistros and Tyler Kennedy each had two runs and Tyler Zaluski led the team with three RBI.

Chagrin's James Sferra also had two doubles in the win.

Mayfield softball defeats Cleveland Heights

Cleveland Heights scored 10 runs in the final four innings, but was unable to defeat Mayfield, losing 14-12 on Thursday night. 

Mayfield maintained a lead most of the game, scoring at least one run in the first five innings before Cleveland State got hot. In the eighth inning, Mayfield scored five runs to Heights' two, which proved to be the difference in the game. Cleveland Heights had five errors in the loss.

See all the scores. Follow the links to see the complete baseball, softball and boys tennis scoreboards from Thursday's action.

The Cleveland Indians fell to the Royals, 7-4, Thursday at Kauffman Stadium.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Not only is Corey Kluber still looking for his first win of the season, but his old self as well.

Kluber, last year's AL Cy Young winner, Thursday allowed four runs in the first inning as the Indians lost to Kansas City, 7-4, at Kauffman Stadium.

Last year Kluber posted a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings at The K. This season he allowed four runs in one inning on the Royals' home ground. That should tell you how his season is going. After the start of the game was delayed by rain for over two hours, it seemed to take the Royals two minutes to take a 4-0 lead.

Kluber hit Alex Gordon to start the game. Mike Moustakas followed with a single to right that Brandon Moss overran. Gordon scored all the way from first as Moss threw to second base.

Lorenzo Cain followed with a single just out of the reach of a diving Jason Kipnis at second base. Kluber fell behind Eric Hosmer, the next batter, 2-0 and paid the price. Hosmer sent Kluber's next pitch on a line over the fence in right center for a three-run homer and a 4-0 lead. Hosmer, who came into the game hitting .185 against Kluber, has three homers and 11 RBI against him.

It was Hosmer's second first-inning, three-run homer of the series. He did the same thing to Danny Salazar in the series opener on Tuesday night.

Kluber (0-5, 5.04) didn't pitch badly after that, but the Indians' offense couldn't dig out of the rubble he buried it under.

After six starts last year Kluber was 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA. Kluber is 0-2 against Kansas City this year. He's allowed nine earned runs on 17 hits in 12 innings.

What it means

For the ninth time this season the Indians failed to win consecutive games. The one and only they've done it was April 8-9 when they beat Houston to win the first series of the season. They have not won a series since.

The Tribe (10-17) fell to 2-4 against the Royals and 6-14 in the AL Central. They are 7 1/2 games out of first.

The Royals (18-10) kept their hold on first place in the Central, a half-game ahead of Detroit.

Begging to get beat

Royals starter Edinson Volquez looked like he wanted to be anyplace but the mound Thursday. He was behind in the count on almost every batter, but the Indians couldn't create a big inning.

They made it 4-1 in the second when Lonnie Chisenhall tripled and David Murphy delivered him with a grounder to first. In the third, they made it 4-3 when Murphy and Michael Bourn drew consecutive walks with the bases loaded. Volquez, with the bases still loaded, struck out Roberto Perez to end the inning and his day.

Volquez walked six, but allowed just three runs in three innings. He threw just 41 of his 78 pitches (53 percent) of pitches for strikes.

Just out of reach

The Royals seemed to toy with the Indians. Kluber kept the score 4-3 into the sixth. He allowed a lead-off single to Moustakas, but struck out the next two batters to bring Kendrys Morales to the plate. Morales was 0-for-2 and was 1-for-6 against Kluber.

It seemed like a good matchup, but Morales singled to center for a 5-3 lead.

In the seventh, Carlos Santana made it 5-4 with a solo homer to right center off Ryan Madson. It was Santana's 16th career homer against the Royals, but it did not spark a comeback.

In fact, just the opposite happened as the Royals stretched their lead to 7-4 with two runs in the seventh. Nick Hagadone and Scott Atchison were the culprits, combining to allow four straight hits and two runs without recording an out.

Omar Infante's two-run double put the game away. 

Where's my pillow?

The start of the game was delayed by rain for 2 hours and 17 minutes. It was the first rain delay the Indians have dealt with this season.

Thanks for coming

The Indians and Royals drew a sellout crowd of 38,271 to Kauffman Stadium. It was the Royals' sixth sellout of the season and fourth on this homestand.

What's next?

The Indians open a three-game series against the Twins on Friday night at Progressive Field.

Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey (2-0, 3.38) will face right-hander Trevor Bauer (2-0, 3.38) at 7:10 p.m. SportsTime Ohio and WMMS FM/100.7 will carry the game.

Bauer is 0-2 with a 5.47 ERA in four career starts against the Twins. He is 6-4 with a 3.80 ERA in 19 career starts at Progressive Field.

BOSTON, Mass. — Plain Dealer photographers Gus Chan and Thomas Ondrey are in Chicago as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of their playoff series. Check back often to see all their photos as the gallery is updated. 

BOSTON, Mass. -- Plain Dealer photographers Gus Chan and Thomas Ondrey are in Chicago as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of their playoff series. Check back often to see all their photos as the gallery is updated. 

See what happened on Friday and in the past couple of days as reported by Northeast Ohio Media Group’s high school sports staff.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Here’s what happened on Friday and the past couple of days as reported by Northeast Ohio Media Group’s high school sports staff:

Baseball

See all baseball playoff brackets for every OHSAA sectional/district in Ohio

Boys basketball

Micah Potter chats about commitment to Ohio State

VASJ's Carlton Bragg prepares for Kansas: Notebook

Wadsworth moves up in coaches poll

Boys tennis

Schedule for all boys tennis sectionals in Northeast Ohio

Football

Avon spring football snapshot

Highland expected to name Mike Gibbons as football coach, Gibbons hired by Highland

List of Northeast Ohio High School football teams, by conferences

Engagement, collegiate news

5 of the top high school sports tweets

How many NEO high schools break recruiting rules?

May 7 spring sports Players of the Week profiles

New NCAA rule adds money to athletic scholarships, but can strain budgets

Nominate your high school sports team for Team of the Week before Monday at noon

What would you change about the OHSAA?

Which spring sport offers the most exciting postseason?

Will the OHSAA's competitive balance roster data be accurate?

Lacrosse

Division I and II girls brackets

Which boys lacrosse players are frontrunners to win cleveland.com player and goalie of the year?

Which girls lacrosse players are frontrunners to win cleveland.com player and goalie of the year?

Spring sports highlights

Wednesday games

Thursday games

Softball

Elyria softball hitting its peak: notebook

Midview named Team of the Week

See all softball playoff brackets for every OHSAA sectional/district in Ohio

Which softball players are frontrunners to win cleveland.com player and pitcher of the year?

Track & Field

CVCA runner Ryan Adams signs with Furman University

Lincoln West runner Sam Ajadi improves after second season: notebook

Magnificat's Avery Pacella signs with Saint Louis University

North Royalton athlete Sam Robinson signs to Butler University

State champion Edith Svonavec, placer Lauren Jones describe throwing techniques in video

Top local performances as of May 8 boys, girls

Wrestling

Parker Knapp of St. Edward commits to Ohio State

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact Nathaniel Cline on Twitter (@nathanielcline), by email (ncline@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

See spring sports highlights from Friday, May 8, 2015.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are spring sports highlights from Thursday's action based on box scores reported to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

For more information on how to report box scores, please email High School Sports Manager Kristen Davis (kdavis@cleveland.com).

Baseball

Three runs scored by the University School baseball team was not enough as Orange held on for a 6-5 win on Friday after seven innings.

Pitcher Ben Weltman threw 5.1 innings giving up 5 hits, 3 runs, one earned run and three walks. He also went 3-4 at the plate with 2 RBI. Austin Lubell got the game-winning sacrifice fly to score Nick Abraksia.

The Independence baseball team scored two runs in the final two innings to take an 8-7 win on Friday against Cardinal.

Four Independence players each had two hits, three had two RBI’s.

Softball

Pitcher Sam Rodriguez picked up a victory helping to lead the Cuyahoga Heights softball team to a 15-0 win against Kenston on Friday with four strikeouts in five innings.

Dayna Denner hit her ninth and 10th homeruns on the season against Kenston followed by Jenna Stegmaier with her seventh.

Firelands softball team topped Bay on the road 4-1 each 10 hits after seven innings and two critical errors by the Rockets.

Holly Fox and Meredith Brewer led Bay at the plate each with two hits including a double and two steals by Fox.

The Twinsburg softball team gave up three runs in the final inning to Solon, but the Tigers held on for a 5-3 victory in a Northeast Ohio Conference matchup.

Twinsburg’s Megan Brown had a double play in the 6th inning. Twinsburg’s Nicole Brown, Brooklyn Benkowski, and Katie Elnikar had a 1-2-3 double play to end the game as Grace Ryan ended the day going 3-3 from the plate and stole two bases. Megan Brown went 3-4 with 2 runs scored, and 4 stolen bases.

See all the scores. Follow the links to see the complete baseball, softball, boys lacrosse and boys tennis scoreboards from Thursday's action.

The Indians are 1-9 in series openers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Torii Hunter went 4-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and four RBI as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Indians, 9-3, Friday night at Progressive Field. Tribe right-hander Trevor Bauer allowed five runs in five-plus innings.

Here is a capsule look at the game after a DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast:

One word: Yikes.

Losing, Inc.: The Indians (10-18) have lost two straight and three of four. The Indians, who were a trendy pick to win the AL Central and perhaps contend for a World Series title, are in last place. They are 4-9 at home.

Sizzling: The Twins (17-13) have won three straight, eight of nine and 12 of 16. They are not playing like the club that almost everyone -- even those in Minnesota -- picked to bring up the rear in the division.

False starts: The Tribe dropped to 1-9 in series openers, having been outscored, 46-19, in the losses.

Chasing, losing: The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Indians are 3-15 when the opponent scores first.

Short-circuited: Bauer gave up nine hits in five innings plus one batter. He walked none and struck out five.

Bauer (2-1, 4.19 ERA) struggled for the second straight start -- and this one could have been worse. Two Twins were thrown out attempting to turn singles into doubles.

The Twins, as the line indicated, took good swings all night off Bauer, who was unable to keep his pitches down. His off-speed stuff didn't have its typical depth and his breaking pitches tumbled instead of darted.

Bauer entered the night having held right-handed batters to a .164 average. Twins righties tagged him for six hits, including a homer and four doubles.

Here is the list of hits allowed by Bauer:

FIRST INNING

(R) Torii Hunter -- 92 fastball, double to center (2-0 count; outer half at thighs).

Skinny: Hunter knew a fastball was coming, and he got one with plenty of swinging room.

(L) Joe Mauer -- 84 changeup, RBI single to left (1-1 count; over middle at knees).

Skinny: Catcher Brett Hayes set up on outside corner but caught too much of the plate and didn't get down far enough. Mauer initially called safe with a double, but replay reversed it.

SECOND INNING

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- 91 fastball, double to left-center (0-1 count; over middle at knees).

Skinny: Suzuki put a good swing on a relatively straight fastball in the low-90s. 

(L) Eddie Rosario -- 85 slider, RBI single to right (1-1 count; down and in).

Pitch tracked to where lefties generally like it. Still, Rosario with good piece of hitting.

THIRD INNING

(R) Torii Hunter -- 94 fastball, single to center (0-1 count; inner half and up).

Skinny: Hunter attempted to secure a double but easily was thrown out by Michael Bourn. 

FOURTH INNING

(R) Trevor Plouffe -- 82 breaking pitch, double to left (2-2 count; inner third at belt).

Skinny: Bauer made it too easy for Plouffe.

(L) Kennys Vargas -- 93 fastball, RBI single to center (0-0 count; off plate inside at thighs).

Skinny: Vargas pulled in the hands and muscled/blooped a decent pitch into the outfield. More credit to Vargas than blame to Bauer.

FIFTH INNING

(R) Torii Hunter -- 84 off-speed, homer to left (1-1 count; inner half at thighs).

Skinny: Pitch tailed onto Hunter's swing plane, and Hunter crushed it.

SIXTH INNING

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- 83 slider, double to left-center (0-1 count; outside corner above knees).

Skinny: Pitch didn't have nearly enough bite, and Suzuki drilled it.

(Indians manager Terry Francona hooks Bauer for lefty Nick Hagadone.) 

No-go for Jose: Tribe shortstop Jose Ramirez went 0-for-3 in nine pitches. He was 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position.

For the season, Ramirez is batting .177 (14-for-79) with a .455 OPS. He is 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

LeBron James scored 27 points and dished out 14 assists but his Cavs were defeated by Derrick Rose's buzzer-beating three-pointer.

CHICAGO - For the first time in four playoff series, a LeBron James team trails the Chicago Bulls 2-1.

Derrick Rose banked in a three with no time left and the Bulls took Game 3 of an Eastern Conference semifinal 99-96. Game 4 is Sunday at the United Center.

James led the Cavs with 27 points and 14 assists to go with eight rebounds. He shot 8-of-25 from the field and committed seven turnovers. Rose scored 30 points.

In the first quarter, James passed Tony Parker, Steve Nash and finally Larry Bird (1,062 assists) for fourth place in NBA postseason history in assists.

Here is an instant, quarter-by-quarter briefing on James' Game 3 performance against the Bulls.

1^st Quarter

Stats: 5 PTS, 2 RBS, 7 AST, 1-5 FG, 2-2 FT

Highlight: James tossed a pass to Tristan Thompson for a jumper at 4:18, pushing James ahead of Bird on the all-time leaderboard for playoff assists.

Briefing: The only field goal James converted was a three-pointer, noteworthy because he hadn't done that since Game 4 of the Boston series. With a slower, grind-it-out pace, James settled for jumpers. The only time he drove to the hoop he was fouled. His teammates were catching his passes and converting them. It was like the old days, before Kevin Love nearly had his arm ripped off and J.R. Smith crashed his fist into Jae Crowder's face. Smith was back for Game 3 in Chicago, and converted one of James' seven assists. James played all 12 minutes.

2^nd Quarter

Stats: 8 PTS, 3 RBS, 1 AST, 3-9 FG, 2-2 FT

Highlight: James crashed into Nikola Mirotic, making his layup and the ensuing free throw to put Cleveland up three with 3:45 left.

Briefing: Turnovers were again a problem for James, who had four giveaways overall and his pocket picked once or twice by Jimmy Butler. A bad pass into the lane was intercepted and turned into a Mike Dunleavy three at the other end to tie the score at 35 with 4:33 to go. There was also a scary moment. With 2:39 remaining, James jumped for a rebound, was knocked over by Butler and fell awkwardly on his knee. He shook it off (but was called for the foul). James struggled mightily shootingl, but his game plan from Game 2 was unchanged. He shot 14 times (making four), while the next-closest Cavs (Timofey Mozgov and Iman Shumpert) had five shots.

3^rd Quarter

Stats: 4 PTS, 1 RB, 3 AST, 1-5 FG, 2-3 FT

Highlight: Pulling off his dunk of the year, James drove by Butler and slammed one over Joakim Noah with 8:33 to go, and then let him know about it. Double technicals were awarded.

Briefing: The dunk was vicious, the trash talk felt right. And on the next possession James rifled a pass to Mozgov for a dunk. But the rest of the quarter was a struggle. Butler blocked his shot in the post with 1:30 left, and James bumped him after the miss for a foul. He left the floor after sinking a technical free throw at 1:15. He'd played 33 minutes through three quarters. Bulls by a point.

4^th Quarter

Stats: 10 PTS, 2 RBS, 3 AST, 3-6 FG, 4-4 FT

Highlight: James flipped it to Smith for a game-tying three-ball with 10 seconds left.

Briefing: James missed a crucial layup with 24.3 seconds left and the Cavs down one. Butler got a piece of the ball on James' way up, but he still had plenty of time to convert and he missed. It changed the course of things. Otherwise, James was solid in the fourth, including another facial dunk, this one over Mirotic. It matters none. Rose's bank-shot three is the story.

Totals: 27 PTS, 8 RBS, 14 AST, 8-25 FG, 10-11 FT, 44 MIN

The Bulls won 99-96 thanks to a buzzer-beating, game-winning three=pointer by Derrick Rose.

CHICAGO - Derrick Rose banked in a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer to give the Chicago Bulls a 99-96 victory over the Cavaliers in Game 3 and a 2-1 series lead.

J.R. Smith, back from his two-game suspension, had just drained a game-tying three with 10 seconds left, and after LeBron James knocked the ball away from Rose and out of bounds there were just three seconds on the clock and overtime seemed likely. But Rose, who was 10-of-26 from the field, got the inbound pass, dribbled across to the right side of the court and shot over a leaping Tristan Thompson.

The ball banked hard off the backboard and through the net as the buzzer sounded. The Bulls surrounded their hero and the Cavaliers walked off to the locker room with 41 hours to wait for another chance in Sunday's Game 4.

The agenda was set ahead of time.

Frustrated with Rose's inability to get to the freethrow line in the first two games of this series, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau made clear his belief that Rose wasn't getting the benefit of the doubt in attacking the basket.

Rose went 10 quarters before getting to the line two minutes into the third quarter. He went on to shoot 9-of-10 from the line. Mission completed for Thibs.

Rose was the hero, but the Bulls got critical help from Jimmy Butler, who received his Most Improved Player of the Year award prior to the game. He put on a defensive clinic on how to defend James -- denying the ball, bodying him up and contesting every shot.

Nevertheless, James supplied 27 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out 15 assists. On the down side, he was 8-of-25 from the field and committed seven turnovers. Butler did a phenomenal job in keeping James out of sync and put up 20 points of his own -- including a reverse-pivot basket that gave the Bulls a one-point lead before the thrills of the final seconds.

Things got chippy in the third when James spun baseline around Butler and crushed a one-handed jam over Joakim Noah. James then stared and said something to Joakim Noah that the big man didn't appreciate. Each motioned towards the other, but eventually each received a technical.

It was a difficult night for Kyrie Irving, who apparently rolled his left ankle in the first quarter. He never really got going. The limp wasn't severe, but after hitting an early pair of 3-pointers, he labored to break free of a Bulls defense determined to play in his chest. He managed just 11 points on 3-of-13 shooting.

Cavs coach David Blatt revealed postgame that Irving was playing with a "sore foot," an injury he's apparently had for more than one game.

"He didn't get hurt, he's been playing hurt...He played his heart out," Blatt said.

Matthew Dellavedova did his best to pick up the slack by connecting on his first three shots and providing 10 points and four assists off the bench. Tristan Thompson pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

Iman Shumpert, who suffered a pulled groin in Game 2, made his third consecutive start. He wasn't nearly as effective, finishing with eight points in 36 minutes. Meanwhile, Bulls forward Pau Gasol suffered a left hamstring strain in the third and did not return. Rookie Nikoa Mirotic subbed ably, scoring 12 points with eight rebounds, and Taj Gibson had nine points and nine rebounds.

Game 4 on Sunday offers the Bulls a chance to take a firm grip on the series, and the Cavaliers a chance to regain the homecourt edge. Irving's status will be a major story until gametime.

Due to congested Chicago traffic, the Cavaliers bus carrying David Blatt, James, Irving, Smith, Kendrick Perkins and Mike Miller arrived at the arena about 45 minutes late, allowing just 70 minutes to prepare before tip.

Blatt said he didn't believe the late arrival would be problematic. But his team didn't start well, going without a basket in the first five minutes, although the first quarter ended with the Cavs holding a 24-18 lead.

Northeast Ohio writer Joe Vardon contributed to this story.

On the Indians' scouting report for the Twins hitters: "Clearly, it didn't work."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians fell to 10-18 after a 9-3 loss to Minnesota on Friday. Here is what Tribe manager Terry Francona and hurler Trevor Bauer had to say following the game.

On what plagued Bauer, who allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings:

"I didn't think he had his best stuff, or at least the quality of it," Francona said. "Seemed like there were a lot of pitches in the zone that he paid for. Some breaking balls that hung or fastballs that caught too much of the plate and they made him pay for it."

On how Mike Pelfrey limited the Tribe to two runs over seven innings, without a strikeout:

"He's a tall kid and he throws it downhill and he changes speeds on it," Francona said. "He'll show you in enough and then kind of tail it away and try and get you to just stay off the barrel."

On Carlos Santana's sixth-inning error, which contributed to the Twins' four-run frame and gave Minnesota an insurmountable lead:

"It didn't stop; [Jordan Schafer] bunted it hard," Francona said. "He was going to try to field it and come home. He was ready for that because that's what Schafer does in that situation and he left it on the ground. I mean, he popped off there pretty good. He was ready for that exact play, it was just going to be a heck of one. That was a pretty good bunt."

On what has bothered Bauer in his last two outings, during which he has surrendered 11 runs over 9 1/3 innings:

"I think tonight was the first night all year I really got hit hard," Bauer said. "And, it's baseball, you know. I thought I threw the ball better tonight than I did my last two. Props to them, they hit everything. They hit strikes, they hit balls ... they hit every different pitch."

On why the Twins were able to hit him so well:

"I don't know, I'm not a hitter. They swing, they hit the ball."

On Torii Hunter's fifth-inning home run, one of four hits for the 39-year-old outfielder:

"I was trying to throw the pitch that I tried to throw 1-0 and you know -- he hit everything else I threw, so I figured I'd try that one and he hit that one too," Bauer said. "The guy had a great night, obviously. Smoked everything he saw."

On the Indians' scouting report for the Twins hitters:

"Clearly, it didn't work."

See what Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau had to say following his team's 99-96 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3.

CHICAGO -- Here is what Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said following his team's 99-96 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

On the last shot, and Derrick Rose's effort.

Thibodeau: There's not many like him. There's not many that combine the speed, quickness and power. And he's shaking the rust off. The more he plays, the more comfortable he becomes. More rhythm he has. Jimmy was terrific. The two of them played great. We had a lot of guys step up. The rebounding was huge.

On Nikola Miritic's 3-pointer in the second quarter.

Thibodeau: And he rebounded the ball, too. I like what he did on both sides of the ball. He was confident. That's who he is.

You held their top two scores to 11 of 38 shooting. Was that part of plan?

Thibodeau: They're great players. They missed some shots they normally make. The only thing you can do is try to make them earn their points. They missed some shots they normally make. They're a load to deal with.

What do you know about Pau Gasol's injury?

Thibodeau: It was tight at halftime (hamstring). We gave him a few minutes to loosen up and it didn't.

On Derrick Rose getting to the free throw line.

Thibodeau: I want to look at the film. I know he's going hard.

There was criticism of Joakim Noah. What did he bring to the game?

Thibodeau: The activity. The rebounding. You gotta have that. He got his second shots. Made hustle plays. That's a big plus for our team. The more active he is, the better it's going to be. That's who he is. I thought he was terrific.

On the threat of LeBron James running the point.

Thibodeau: He's at the point, the 2-3-4-5. His game speaks for itself. He finished with 14 assists. He's got great vision and decision making ability. He reads the game extremely well. Knows every possible defense there is. Shows patience. He's a terrific player.

The combination of Taj Gibson and Nikola Miritic seemed to be working.

Thibodeau: They played well together during the season. Taj gives you the low post presence. Niko spaces the floor. The rebounding and shot blocking component with Taj. That group played very well. Throw Derek out there with them and Mike (Dunleavy). Dribble penetration and shooting. You get the space you like.

What was the original play call on final shot?

Thibodeau: There's multiple options on that play. Derek read the play well. He ran to get the ball because time was running out. That was his greatness to get the shot off. He and Jimmy are the primary options on that play.

On Kyrie Irving's injured foot.

Thibodeau: It's the playoffs. Guys are getting nicked up. I've been around Kyrie. I know the type of competitor he is. We weren't going to change. He has the ability to make tough shots and make something out of nothing. Part of the game is getting nicked up. I know how he plays through things. He's got a lot of toughness.

Did you emphasize to Derrick getting to the rim in the second half?

Thibodeau: I just want him to read the game. When he does that, getting the ball up the floor quickly and playing with pace. When you generate speed and you get hit, from my understanding, that's how fouls are called. He forced them to make calls tonight and that's good. 

Was it too hectic to call for a foul on Cleveland's last possession?

Thibodeau: In some situations you like to do that. These guys are good at facing the basket and drawing the foul there. We lost a game earlier this year on that. In certain citations you certainly went to foul.

Read a transcript of David Blatt's postgame press conference after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Friday, May 8, 2015.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here is what Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt said after his team's 99-96 loss against the Chicago Bulls on Friday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

What happened on offensive boards?

We did not do a good job in that area. We forced a lot of misses, obviously an area that we didn't do a good job in. We have to improve.

In game that was so tight throughout, what say to team after a dramatic finish?

I said they played their hearts out, no complaints to anyone. It was a hard played game on the part of both teams. Physical but not dirty. Hard play on both teams.

Earlier this year, LeBron told Kyrie that he could not have a game with 0 assists. Didn't have any this game, why, did it have to do with him being hurt?

Perhaps that guys he threw the ball too just didn't make shots. Kyrie's been playing hurt. He's showing a lot of courage, he played terrific first two games. He'll continue to do that. Today was less successful game for him. He's giving us all he has and I'm proud of him.

With Kyrie injured, it looks like J.R. initiating offense.

No he was not. He has the ball sometimes, but he's not initiating offense. I told you before when I was asked that I expected J.R. to play his normal game. Naturally in his first few rotations, he was trying to find his rhythm. I think letting the game come to him which was right thing to do, once he was comfortable, we saw the J.R. who's been so important to our success.

Now that it's out there, when did Kyrie get hurt, what's wrong with him?

He didn't get hurt. He's got a sore foot and he's playing through it. He has a lot of heart, a lot of courage.

See what Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said after the Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 99-96 in Friday's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here is what Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said after his team's 99-96 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

It looked like broken play on the last shot, what happened from your perspective?

it was a broken play, I was supposed to get ball in corner. I saw it wasn't open, so I ran toward the ball. Mike Dunleavy threw me the ball. I released it, it felt like it was a good shot.

How did it feel taking over in 4th quarter, shades of old Derrick?

I wouldn't say I was trying to take over, I was trying to put the pressure on them and make them move around. We did a good job with rebounding, but we let some slip. In gang rebounding we did a good job tonight. 

What's it like to win playoff game that intense? Did you call glass?

I don't mean to sound cocky, but those are the ones you want to take as a player that's in my position. I'm thankful and grateful my teammates gave me the ball. They believe in me, kept encouraging me to play. No I did not call glass.

Is it significant you had chance to hit shots in 2011 before all the injuries and now you're making them?

The opportunities are always going to be there. That game in Milwaukee, when I turned ball over and they scored, I learned from that. They didn't double team. It feels good to see one go in. It's just going to boost confidence and make me play better.

This is the first time a team with or without you been up 2-1 on LeBron in a series. Could this be a boost mentally?

We could have been playing against anybody. It's always exciting and feels good to win playoff game period. This one is already over with. We're going to look at film tomorrow and rest a little, but we can't think about the past.

You've heard a lot of analysis about 1 day's rest vs. 2 days rest for you. What effect does that have on you?

I feel good. When people talk, it's all their opinions. I can't get mad about opinions. My job is to prepare for every game and come out and compete. There's nothing I can do about opinions. Everyone is entitled to opinion. 

The way this season's gone, do you have any idea how you'll come out Sunday?

Every game is going to be different. I shot terribly in first half, and was still confident in the second half. It's all about doing the little things like rebounding, communicating to each other, making sure we throw bodies at them to slow them down.

Do you like Taj Gibson at the 5?

Taj played great. He got huge rebounds, played like a big man. His spirit was there. Everyone fed off it. He had two clutch free throws which is all you can ask from a player like that. We're gonna ride with him, live with his ups and downs. We encourage him to take shots.

He provides more space on the floor. I don't think they could help off anyone or I was going to find them. We missed a lot of shots we normally hit. 

You sang the praises of Niko Mirotic earlier this season, does he need to play more for you to win?

I think so. It's not my decision, but whenever he's out there he's just shaking off rust. He hasn't played in a long time. His minutes have been here and there. I feel the shots he missed tonight he's going to knock them down next time. That different look was great tonight.

Derrick Rose's 3-pointer fells the Cavs, 99-96, and gives Chicago a 2-1 lead.

CHICAGO - The Shot, again?

The Cavaliers have been here before, against this franchise. The difference is there are at least two more tomorrows, so Derrick Rose's banked 3-pointer over Tristan Thompson at the buzzer for a 99-96 Chicago Bulls victory was not the end game. The Bulls now lead the series, 2-1.

* Still, you wondered where was Craig Ehlo in this Jordanesque moment.

* The Bulls probably won because the most improved player in the NBA, Jimmy Butler, and their long rim protectors helped harass LeBron James into an 8-for-25 shooting performance. Rose's 30 led all scorers, but Butler's 20 and tenacious defense were huge.

* The last shot James missed, by the way, was a layup.

* This was a hard-fought, physical game. The Bulls were shorthanded in their own right, playing all but 22 minutes without 7-footer Pau Gasol who suffered a hamstring injury.

* If you were scoring at home in the third quarter, it was dunk (LeBron James over Joakim Noah), taunt (James to Noah), technical fouls (James and Noah), steal (James off Noah) and assist (James to Timofey Mozgov, and I'd have to see the replay, but it's only fitting if Noah was lurking there too).

* It was also evidence of the phenomenon of the global jeering. As Ohio State quarterback, Cleveland native and Cavs fan Cardale Jones Tweeted, "I see @JoakimNoah ain't here to block shots, get dunked on chump."

Even if Jones doesn't have more than the 15 minutes of fame we are all supposed to be allotted, they will be memorable ones.

* Even when James isn't shooting well, and he finally made his first shot on his fifth try, a 3-pointer -- his first of the series on his 10^th heave overall from way out there - he is dispensing havoc. He had seven assists in the first quarter, including a lob pass to Timofey Mozgov that is simply how it is done.

* James is 1-for-12 on the arc in the series.

* James was 1-for-8 in the quarter, though. By eight minutes into the second quarter, he was 2-for-11 and the rest of the Cavs were 11-for-21. The viability of the "LeBron is the problem" argument was compromised by 13 points at halftime (on 14 shots), eight assists, five rebounds. Cue the triple double warning siren.

* Does it take a shooter longer than other players to get his groove back after almost a two-week layoff?

Cavaliers coach David Blatt said: "Not that shooter."

He was speaking of J.R. Smith, back from suspension, and, frankly, he was right. After a slow start, Smith's corner 3 and his middle of the arc three after a handoff from James kept the Cavs even in an absolutely thunderous United Center. Smith's last two threes went through as cleanly as the snip of scissors on the twine of the net.

* James, of course is a scorer, not a pure shooter. When the long one isn't falling, get a short one. So James' most memorable play of the first half was a drive against Montenegro's finest, Nikola Mirotic - unless, of course, former Cav Sasha Pavlovic disputes that honor.  

James bulled over him, leaving Mirotic sprawled on the floor after drawing a foul while James looked at him as if Mirotic were this unsightly debris needing to be swept off the court.

* Mirotic is a player with a future here, though. He had 11 points at the half.

* Big call in the last 1:25 of the half. James out on the break, Derrick Rose standing in as the last line of resistance, which is unnerving when you see the LeBron Express headed your way, and, without a twitch, tic, or blink, the stationary Rose drew a blocking call and set James up for another and-one. Few things are more reassuring to Cavs fans than the likelihood of the benefit of the superstar call.

Bulls fans should know. Michael Jordan got the same treatment.

* Derrick Rose shot 6-for-20 in the second game and tried his first free throw of the series in the first half of Game 3. He missed it and had only six points. About the time you were wondering if his strong first game had been all he had, Rose by any name was as sweet in the second half as in some of his glory days.

* One reason for the tough shooting was defense that was dogged to the end of most possessions and that conceded nothing around the basket. The Bulls were winning the effort categories -- 12-2 in second-chance points, six blocks to the Cavs' five in the first half.

* While you were watching LeBron and Noah draw taunting Ts, Tristan Thomson picked up his 10^th rebound. He finished with 13.

* The Cavs long-ball shooting kept them in it. They made 14 of 34 to the Bulls' 6 of 21, offsetting a 44-28 deficit in points in the paint and an 18-7 shortfall in second-chance points. Kyrie Irving, for example, was a head scratching 0 for 9 inside the arc and 3 of 4 behind it.

See what LeBron James and Kyrie Irving said following the Cleveland Cavaliers' 99-96 loss to the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

CHICAGO -- Here is what Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and guard Kyrie Irving had to say Friday following their team's 99-96 loss to the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Kyrie, talk about your sore foot and when did you injure it first?

Kyrie Irving: Game 2 of the Boston series. Just trying to get treatment on it. Trying to stay ready to play. I don't make any excuses for myself. For me to go out there, I was trying to play through it best I can. Going to continue to do it. Coach was doing that to protect me. 3-for-13. that's not like me. I'm not going to hang my head. Going to continue to have that attitude and that mindset to compete hard and play hard for my brothers.

LeBron, the Bulls had a big rebounding edge, particularly 18 offensive boards.

LeBron James: We have to do a better job on the glass. Eighteen opportunities for them to score more points is too many. It resulted in them having 18 second chance points. I thought Tristan Thomposon was amazing. But he can't do it by himself. We all have to help him.

For Tristan to see Derrick Rose hit that shot over him, what is the message to him in the locker room?

LeBron James: When you go out and have a game plan and you follow the game plan and they make a shot, you live with it. It's when you make mistakes, those would be the ones that are hard to live with. The guy made a hard shot. You tip your had to him. We followed our coverages. He made it. The game wasn't won or lost on that play. We had opportunities to win, as they did. They just made one more play than us. We can learn from it. We played as hard as we could tonight to try and get a win. That's all you can do.

You got beat in the paint. Got beat on second chance points. Got beat on fast break points. Is it a positive that the game came down to last shot?

LeBron James: We were just fighting and trying to find a way to win. The had more points in the paint than us. More second chance points. More fast break pints. But we just kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance at the end.

Kyrie, what were you trying to do, knowing you couldn't attack on the offensive end?

Kyrie Irving: Trying to stay out there for my brothers and use myself as a decoy at times. Whether it's setting screens or getting steals. Whatever it took. I'm just going to lay it out there on the line. Started out the game and I tried a right hand drive. I came off it. Little plays and the acceleration like that. I just gotta get treatment on it and come in to Game 4 ready to play.

LeBron, take us through the play against Joakim Noah that led to your technical.

LeBron James: What happened was it was play before that. He fouled me. I love his emotion. But I think the words he used to me went a bit too far. I'm a father with three kids. It got very disrespectful. I'm ok with competing with Noah. I love the competitive nature of him. But we should leave it there. The disrespectful words he said to me were uncalled for. The best way to retaliate is by making a play. That's the only way I know how to resolve things, is to make a play. It happened bang-bang. If it was the 90s or the 80s I would have been able to say what I had to say and move on. But I got the T, and I earned it.

What do you say to a young group, down 2-1 on the road?

LeBron James: I know how we're going to respond. The same way we did in Game 2. Will that result in a win? I don't know. But I don't have any doubt of how we'll play on Sunday. We're going to give ourselves a chance. We've got to make plays. I've got to make plays, Ky will make plays. Eerybody has to have a hand in it, both offensively and defensively. The time is passed as far as me wondering what type of reaction our young guys will bring to the game. They're fighters.

The Bulls locker room is saying they have trouble getting you after Game 1. Is there concern over their confidence?

LeBron: They should be confident. They're playing at a high level. They have a full roster. They have so many guys that compliment each other. They're playoff tested. They're battle tested. They should be confident.

Your missed layup at 94-93. Did you expect to make that?

LeBron James: I expect to make every shot I take. The law of averages,. it doesn't happen that way. I was aggressive trying to get to the lane. I got a good look at it. That's all you can ask for. I missed it, we fouled. Down three, we were able to come down and run a set we drew up. I hit JR for the 3. We still gave ourself a chance even after my missed lauyp.

Did arriving late to the arena have an  effect on you?

LeBron James: No excuses. It threw our routine off a little bit. But no excuses at all.

What do you say to Kyrie at this moment?

LeBron James: I told him whatever happened tonight you leave it in the locker room. When you walk out of this locker room you start focusing on Sunday. We're going to get a good meal when we leave here. We're going to enjoy each other's company. We're going to prepare to get a win on Sunday. It is what it is right now. Nobody is going to feel sorry for us. Nobody feels sorry for Kyrie because he's hurt. If he's on the floor, he has to make plays. I have to help him, he has to help me. The Injury, I know from a competitive standpoint, it's killing him inside. I know the type of competitor he is inside. And I know the type of teammate he is. He wants to do everything great for his teammates. He's a great competitor. He gave us 40 minutes on one foot. If he has to do it again on Sunday, as frustrating as it is for him, he'll do it again.

Guarding Nikola Miritic, how does it change things for you?

LeBron James: It doesn't change at all. I've guarded everybody in this league.

You're not shooting the 3 as well as you'd like. 

LeBron James: I'm terrible. Maybe I need to put it up for a little bit. Some of them are in rhythm. It's just not falling. I'm not shooting the 3 well at all. It's funny because I'm shooting the free throw extremely well, but I can't make a 3 pointer. If I get the looks, I'm going to take it. I think I did a good job tonight of mixing it up and getting to the free throw line. I missed a couple layups and  easy looks. I willed myself in the fourth quarter to make a couple of plays to give us a chance. I'm not shooting as well as I'm capable.

There were no assist for Kyrie. Does he get a pass because of the injury?

LeBron James: Nobody gets a pass. It's not about Kyrie or LeBron or Tristan. None of us get a pass tonight. We have to be better. I have to be better. I had 7 turnovers. Maybe if I have 4 we don't put ourselves in that position. I also shot 8-for-25 from the field. Maybe if I'm 11-for-25 we don't put ourselves in that position. Also shot 1-for-7 from the 3-point line. And I only had one steal. It ain't about Kyrie. Put it on me. Kyrie is going to be great. For the rest of us, we just have to pick each other up. It's never a one-man show.

Shortly after Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving played the worst playoff game of his young career, head coach David Blatt dropped a hint as to why, an answer that only raises more questions moving forward.

CHICAGO -- Shortly after Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving played the worst playoff game of his young career, head coach David Blatt dropped a hint as to why, an answer that only raises more questions moving forward. Irving has been playing with a sore right foot. 

"We're not talking about it, but Kyrie has been playing hurt," Blatt said following the Cavs' 99-96 loss against the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. "He has been giving us all he has and will continue to do that. He had two great games and today was just a little less successful. He has a sore foot and is playing through it."

It's not a new injury, either. A team spokesman confirmed Irving underwent imaging and scans in the last week, and those revealed a strained right foot.

"Probably in Game 2 of the Boston series," Irving said when asked about when the injury first occurred. "I have just been trying to get treatment since then. I just have to stay ready to play. There are no excuses and I have to play through it. Coach was trying to protect me with what he said. Tonight I am not hanging my head nor using a bad foot as an excuse."

It doesn't help that Irving seemed to re-aggravate the foot early in the first quarter. Lacking his usual explosiveness and ability to cut through the defense with a slick handle, he scored a postseason-low 11 points on a paltry 3-of-13 from the field.

His last tally came at the 7:48 mark of the third quarter as he missed every contested shot he took inside the three-point arc, misfired on 10 of his last 11 and struggled to finish over Chicago's tough and physical frontline.

"I told him whatever happened tonight you leave it in the locker room," LeBron James said of his message. "When you walk out of this locker room then you start focusing on Sunday. It is what it is right now. Nobody is going to feel sorry for us, no one feels sorry for Kyrie because he's hurt. 

"The injuries, I know from a competitive standpoint, it's killing him inside because I know what type of competitor he is and what type of teammate he is. He wants to do everything great for his teammates but the situation is the situation. He gave us 40 minutes on one foot. He will do it again."

Irving also struggled on defense, allowing too many free paths to the basket, and failed to record an assist for the first time since an early November game in Utah.

"I am just trying to stay out there for my brothers," Irving said. "I can use myself as a decoy at times, whether it's setting screens or getting steals, doing whatever it took. I was just going to lay it out there on the line. I just have to get treatment and come out and play."

The Cavs don't need a decoy. Kevin Love is already sidelined for the remainder of the postseason run. Iman Shumpert is less than 100 percent because of a strained groin. J.R. Smith, who hit four three-pointers in his return from a two-game ban, is still working his way back.

The team, and James in particular, needs his All-Star running mate back, the guy who combined with him to form the league's highest-scoring duo and turn the Cavs into a heavy favorite in the East. As they try to dig out of a postseason hole, with another huge road test on Sunday afternoon, the Cavaliers need Kyrie Irving, the player averaging 22.1 points in his first playoff appearance.

"He's playing his heart out, he's showing a lot of courage and giving us everything he has," Blatt said.

That's not in question after Irving gave his team 38 gutty minutes on Friday. His effectiveness, however, is.

Since that Tuesday night in Boston, the night Irving was forced to reflect back on following Friday's agonizing loss, he's averaging 19.8 points on 29-of-75 (38.6 percent) shooting, both well below his season averages.

This stage was supposed to provide Irving a chance to shine and give Love an opportunity to answer critics. Instead, it's been one thing after another and now the Cavs will have to answer a new question, one they didn't anticipate weeks ago:

Is "everything Irving has" enough against the talented, deep and experienced Chicago squad led by Derrick Rose, whose game-winning three-pointer and game-high 30 points has Cleveland staring at its second must-win game of the postseason?

LeBron James said Joakim Noah said something disrespectful that crossed the line, Noah claims he doesn't know what he's talking about.

CHICAGO - Joakim Noah said something very disrespectful to LeBron James and it resulting in the big man getting posterized on the very next play, according to James.

After the Cleveland Cavaliers endured a crushing loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday night thanks to a Derrick Rose buzzer-beating, game-winning banked three-pointer, James revealed that shot and falling down 1-2 in the series wasn't the most disappointing occurrences of the evening for him.

The altercation with Noah played out after a high-flying highlight, but it was sparked by something said seconds earlier.

Early in the third quarter James spun around Jimmy Butler in the post and smashed a one-handed slam on Noah, who came from the weak-side to attempt a block of the dunk. James immediately stared down Noah and the two jawed back and forth while approaching one another.

They were eventually pulled apart by teammates, but not before James was hit with a technical for unsportsmanlike conduct and Noah for his choice of inappropriate words.

That encounter wasn't what James was disturbed by. He said what infuriated him and prompted a message-sending dunk was due to a tasteless, vulgar remark spewed out of the mouth of Noah when he fouled James right before the dunk.

That is where James said Noah crossed the line.

"I love his emotion as a competitor I love his emotion, but I think the words that he used to me was a little bit too far," James said. "I'm a father with three kids. It got very disrespectful. I'm OK with competing against Jo. I love the competitive nature in him, but we should leave it there. The disrespectful words that he said to me were uncalled for so the best way to retaliate is by making a play."

When I approached Noah about the accusation, he laughed and was hesitant to comment as he walked towards the exit of United Center. He was fined $25,000 prior to the game for shoving a fan during halftime of the Game 2 contest in Cleveland.

A tad bit smarter this time around, he gathered his thoughts and played Mr. nice, satirical guy.

"Disrespectful?" he asked with a sarcastic expression on his face. "I got mad respect for LeBron. We're just two players trying to win a game. That's all. I don't know what he's talking about. I'm just trying to win games for my team."

The two have a deep, rich history and Noah is known for his verbal abuse of James during competition. Noah has called James every filthy name in the book, but apparently he came up with a new insult that ticked James off.

Instead of seeking vengeance in a way that would hurt his team, James took his anger out on the rim and whoever was in the vicinity was just in store for a surprise. It just happened to be the one guy responsible for placing him in that bad, fiery mood.

"That's the only way I know how to resolve things is by making a play and trying to help our team," James said. "And it happened bang, bang, just like that. If it was the '90s or '80s, I would have been able to say what I had to say and move on, but I got the T. I earned it."

This feud will continue all series long.

For anyone who missed LeBron's dunk on Noah and the jawing afterward: https://t.co/tBEaFiMSua

-- NOTBRCleveland (@NOTBRCleveland) May 9, 2015

It looked like Friday night was going to be another redemption story for J.R. Smith. Instead, the Cleveland Cavaliers trail the best-of-seven series, 2-1, after a 99-96 loss.

CHICAGO -- It looked like Friday night was going to be another redemption story for J.R. Smith. Instead, the Cleveland Cavaliers fell behind in the best-of-seven series, 2-1, after a 99-96 loss to the Bulls. 

The volatile swingman went from worst to first when he arrived in a trade from the Knicks. Carrying his past baggage, Smith was a model citizen in Cleveland until he lost his cool in the series finale against the Celtics and was suspended for the first two games of these Eastern Conference Semifinals.

In his first game back, Smith buried four triples, including a cold-blooded dagger that looked like it was going to send the game into overtime. Not to be. Derrick Rose re-wrote an ending that few saw coming as his buzzer beating three-pointer sent the Cavs back into must-win mode.

Here are five observations:

Thorn in the side -- It was a broken play, one that could've ended in a five-second violation or a different kind of turnover. Instead, it could end up being added to the Cleveland heartbreak list sometime in the near future.

"That is Derrick's greatness," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said following the game. "There are not many like him. In fact there are not any like him. The more he plays, the more comfortable he is getting and the more rhythm he has."

Thibodeau admitted there were two options on the play: Rose or Jimmy Butler.

"I was supposed to get the ball in the corner," Rose said. "When I ran to the corner I was not open so I ran to the ball. Mike (Dunleavy) threw me the ball, I drove right and when I released the ball I thought it was a good shot."

Even Rose can't possibly believe that. It was an off-balanced and contested heave and with the help of the United Center backboard and the basketball gods that robbed him of his MVP form the last three years, the biggest shot of Rose's career sent natives home with a smile and Rose into the waiting arms of Joakim Noah. 

"I don't mean to sound cocky but that's a shot you want to take if you are a player in my position," Rose said. "I'm thankful and grateful that my teammates gave me the ball. They believe in me. Down the stretch they kept giving me the ball and encouraging me to play the way I usually play. And no, I did not call glass."

Sometimes luck plays a part.

"Tough shot," Tristan Thompson said. He was the defender that switched onto Rose after the point guard went around a screen. "It's the only three he made all night. Just gotta live with it."

Added LeBron James: "When you go out and have a game plan and follow the game plan and they make a shot, you live with it. When you make mistakes during the game plan, those are the ones it is tough to live with. Obviously it is easy for me to say that since the shot was not on me. But Derrick took tough shots, tip your hat to him."

After struggling in Game 2, going 6-of-20 from the field, Rose scored a game-high 30 points in 39 minutes, with 24 coming in the second half as he became more aggressive. 

"I said to them, they played their hearts out," Blatt said of his message following the game. "I have no complaints. We could have done a few things better, but didn't. It was a hard-fought game by both teams."

Three-point struggles -- Using the three-pointer as a weapon once again, the Cavs canned 14 triples, eight more than Chicago. Smith hit four. Matthew Dellavedova, James Jones and Iman Shumpert each hit a pair. Kyrie Irving's three made bombs were the only shots he made all night. Then there's James, who is a putrid 1-for-12 on three-pointers in this series and 5-of-32 during this postseason.

"I'm terrible," James said. "Maybe I need to put it up for a little bit. Some of them was in rhythm and they're just not falling. I'm not shooting the three well at all."

It's not for a lack of effort. The four-time MVP arrived for Friday's shootaround with Smith and Damon Jones about 45 minutes early. But to no avail. He was 1-of-7 from distance. All other players: 13-of-27.

Rotation issues -- With Smith back from suspension, Blatt once again had to juggle his lineup. But he dropped the ball.

I never thought I would be typing this, but given how good he was in the first half, Dellavedova deserved more than 16 minutes. He was pestering Chicago on defense and giving the team a much-needed offensive jolt. In the first 24 minutes, he played 10:30, scoring eight points on 3-of-3 shooting to go along with three assists. The eight points were good for fourth-most in the half.

Then he faded from the rotation, earning a little more than five minutes and attempting one shot in the second half. The same thing happened to Jones, who was sensational in Game 2 when he poured in 17 points behind five made triples.

He was showing off that shooting stroke early on Friday, giving the Cavs instant offense by scoring five points in eight minutes off the bench. But then became a spectator, recording 15 total minutes -- or seven fewer than Wednesday.

The Butler did it -- I'm talking about Jimmy, the NBA's Most Improved Player and James' nuisance.

When James is on the court, No. 21 is normally close by. When James rests, Butler rests. Butler's offense helped him reach his first All-Star game, but defense has been his calling card since being the last pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft.

And he showed why in Game 3. James missed his share of shots -- even some he normally makes. But to not give credit to Butler's stingy defense would be as off the mark as James' jumper in the playoffs.

"The only thing you can do with guys like that is make them work for their points," Thibodeau said.

And Butler has as well as anyone this side of Kawhi Leonard.

"I feel like I did my job," Butler said. "Contested a lot of his shots and made a lot of things difficult for him."

Butler has embraced the challenge of guarding James since Game 1, when he matched up with him on 73 of 75 possessions in the half court. On Friday, he did the same, holding James to an 8-of-25 shooting night, his worst in the first seven playoff games. He also helped force James into a playoff-high seven turnovers.

On top of it all, Butler added 20 points of offense to go with eight rebounds and five steals while playing 44 minutes.

No worries -- James has been here before. Facing a deficit on the road and getting ready for a must-win game is nothing new to him.

It's foreign territory to a number of his teammates, but you wouldn't have been able to tell in the locker room after the game. The players were loose, talking about topics beyond basketball and even having a few laughs.

"We're going to get a good meal when we leave here, we're going to enjoy each other's company, we're going to prepare tomorrow and we're going to get ready to play on Sunday," James said.

Blatt even called the press conference easy after answering questions for a little less than five minutes.

Rose had just delivered a game-winning shot that had the city of Chicago buzzing, but the Cavs seemed unfazed. There was an aura of confidence, especially when James spoke.

"I already know how we're going to respond, the same way we did in Game 2," James said. "Whether or not that results in a win, we don't know. I don't have any doubt of how we will play on Sunday. We're going to give ourselves a chance. I think that time has kind of passed right now, as far as me wondering what type of reaction the young guys will bring to the game. They're fighters."

They will need to be. Irving is dealing with a sore right foot, Kevin Love is wearing a sling and the Bulls have them backed into a corner.

The Tribe dropped to 10-18 after yet another lackluster showing, and are 1-9 in series openers this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Torii Hunter turned back the clock and time continued to stand still for the lifeless Indians on Friday night.

The Tribe dropped to 10-18 after yet another lackluster showing, this one an 9-3 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Twins. The Indians moved to 1-9 in series openers this season.

Hunter, who has played in the American League Central for 14 of his 19 years in the league, logged the second four-hit game of his career against the Tribe. In his previous such performance -- on June 1, 2005 -- he tallied three extra-base hits and four RBI. He matched those numbers on Friday.

After a one-out double in the first, the 39-year-old Hunter scored on a Joe Mauer single. He singled in the third and socked a 406-foot home run into the left-field bleachers in the fifth. In the sixth, he cleared the bases with a double to left-center.

Prior to Friday's affair, Indians manager Terry Francona raved about Hunter.

"He's got a lot of years under his belt and I'm sure they love having him," Francona said.

They did on Friday.

Most of Hunter's damage came at the expense of Trevor Bauer, who departed after five-plus innings, having surrendered five runs on nine hits. Bauer endured his second straight rough outing after he posted a 1.80 ERA over his first four starts. He allowed five runs in those four games; he has yielded 11 runs in his last two.

The Indians responded to the Twins' runs early, but fell flat once Minnesota mounted a comfortable lead. Carlos Santana plated Jason Kipnis with a double to left-center in the third. Lonnie Chisenhall followed three batters later with an RBI single. That tied the game, 2-2. The Twins, however, tacked on a run in the fourth, another in the fifth and four more in the sixth.

Bauer was lifted after catcher Kurt Suzuki tagged him for a leadoff double. Nick Hagadone allowed a single and, two batters later, Jordan Schafer reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt when Santana overran the ball on the infield grass. After Danny Santana walked and Brian Dozier whiffed, Hunter unloaded the bases with his three-run double.

The Twins totaled six doubles and a homer.

What it means

At 10-18, the Indians sit one game behind their pace from last season. The club owned an 11-17 mark at the end of April before winning seven of 10. The Indians had alternated wins and losses prior to Friday's result, which marked the group's second straight loss. The Tribe will now need to knock off the Twins each of the next two days to claim their first series win since their season-opening set in Houston a month ago.

Smooth operator

Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to eight games with a solo blast in the eighth inning. It was his third homer of the season. Brantley is batting .400 (22-for-55) over his last 14 games.

Bauer outage

Over his last two starts, Bauer has served up 11 runs on 16 hits in 9 1/3 innings. In his first four outings of the season, he allowed only 15 hits total.

Ground to a halt

Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey limited the Indians to two runs on six hits in seven frames. He didn't strike anyone out, but he induced 14 ground outs.

What's next

Bruce Chen will make his Indians debut on Saturday. The southpaw, who went 2-1 with a 1.74 ERA in five starts with Triple-A Columbus, will oppose Minnesota's Phil Hughes (1-4, 5.02 ERA). In two starts against the Indians last season, Hughes went 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA. He allowed five runs on 15 hits in 14 innings, with no walks and 13 strikeouts. Chen has appeared in 27 games (13 starts) against the Twins during his 17-year career. He is 5-8 with a 5.63 ERA against Minnesota.

Kyrie Irving (foot strain) confident he can return close to form to help Cavaliers in Game 4 on Sunday.

CHICAGO - Cleveland Cavaliers' point guard Kyrie Irving called his Game 3 performance against the Bulls "frustrating."

Due to a problematic right foot strain he sustained in Game 2 of the opening round versus Boston, the lift and acceleration simply aren't there. He re-aggravated that foot when he rolled his ankle in the first quarter of Friday night's 99-96 loss that put Chicago up 2-1 in the series.

It limited his ability to drive, as he missed multiple layup attempts. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-13 from the field and registered zero assists. Prior to the game, no one knew Irving was battling an injury.

His coach, David Blatt, chose to reveal Irving's condition following the loss, knowing people wanted answers to why he didn't play up to expectations. It was a kind gesture from Blatt, looking out for his player with the understanding that Irving would have never disclosed his injury himself.

"I kept it to myself. I kept it from the team and I understand what Coach Blatt was doing in terms of protecting me," Irving said on Saturday at the team's hotel. "You guys were asking if I was struggling and he protected me, which I appreciate it, but for me, I kept it to myself. I just wanted to play through it."

Irving is already a private guy, but he's extraordinarily private when it comes to divulging injuries or how opposing teams might take advantage.

The three-time All-Star dealt with various aches and bruises throughout the season and kept it under wraps. That's the way he's wired.

"I think that's the biggest part. That's Basketball 101 when you start playing," Irving said. "You try not to limp; you try not to let anyone know. But now we're at the highest level. There are no secrets, so it's just part of the game and for me, as a prideful man, I just want to go out there and compete with my brothers."

LeBron James claimed responsibility for the Game 3 loss. After all, he shot 8-of-25 from the floor and committed a game-high seven turnovers. Chicago as a team turned it over that many times.

James commended Irving for toughing it out and still putting up solid numbers in his first playoff year. Injuries are a matter of course this deep into the postseason. James is impressed by Irving's grit and passion.

"I think he's handled it well," James said. "The numbers speak for themselves. He's been playing with a sore foot since Game 2 of the first round and no one would have ever noticed until he was limping yesterday. So it's mind over matter for him. Obviously it's a tough situation for himself playing with such an injury, but he's going to give us everything he has."

Now with the injury fully disclosed, will Derrick Rose look to attack him more? Will Tom Thibodeau order whoever Irving is guarding him to attack mercilessly?

"You don't want to try to get too much into the individual thing of, 'I'm going to go at him every single time,' because you'll get out of your game plan," James said. "But you know it. You notice it and at this point no one is 100 percent healthy. Some injuries are worst than others. If the game presents it, then you go after it. If not, then you just play your game plan."

Sunday is a turning point game. The Cavs have endured an awful lot over the last two weeks, but insist they're not rattled. They maintain there's still a lot left in the tank. In order for them to depart the Windy City with the series tied, the point guard will have to be more like the old Irving.

Scoring 11 points won't do the trick. He said he's confident he'll be able to provide more come Sunday.

"I'm pretty optimistic," Irving said. "It is what it is at this point. Probably eight out of 10 players on the floor in any playoff game probably have some knick-knacks or injured in some way. It's just that time of the season. It's something that I've never experienced.

"For me, it's more of prideful thing and as a competitor, just go out there and give my team whatever is needed and whatever I can give."

LeBron James' has lost his rhythm on 3-point shots and he won't get his groove back until he finds it.

CHICAGO - Basketball players, particularly shooters, talk about rhythm more often than drummers in a band.

"Keeping my rhythm" is what J.R. Smith said he was most concerned about during his recent 12-day, suspension-mandated layoff. After a briefly ineffective stint, Smith soon got his groove back Friday night in Game 3 against the Chicago Bulls. In fact, most of the Cavs in that 99-96 last-play loss can say the same.

Cleveland shot 14-for-34, an excellent 41.2 percent, behind the 3-point line. LeBron James, however, shot 1-for-7. At that, it was his only make behind the arc of the series.

In a career of basketball exceptionalism, James has become an exception in a way he never expected to be.

In the second-round best-of-seven series, which the Cavs trail, 2-1, with the critical fourth game here Sunday afternoon, James is 1-for-12 on 3-pointers for 8.3 percent and 30-for-76 overall for 39.5 percent. Yet he is 18-for-21 for 85.7 percent at the free throw line.

That is a bitter puzzle as he puts in extra time almost daily to find that elusive quality called rhythm.

James Jones is one of several Cavs, along with Smith, Iman Shumpert, Mike Miller and the injured Kevin Love, who can distort a paint-clogging defense such as Chicago's with their 3-point stroke. Jones accentuated the positive for the Cavs' out-of-synch team leader.

"(James) has had some easy shots that he's missed. He's had some tough shots that he made. They'll continue to send guys (at him) and keep him off balance. If that means double teams, triple teams, going under (screens), going over, he's the world's greatest player. He'll figure it out," said Jones.

Barely second to mechanics, rhythm is what makes a good shooter. Some coaches put it first. It means the smooth, sequential progression of the movements of a shot.

When jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. composed an anthem to the game, he called it "Let It Flow (For Dr. J)."

Part of what has dammed up the flow for the Cavs is the responsibility James bears for play-making, given Kyrie Irving's strained foot. James is dominating the ball on the dribble.

Although he was a scattershot while standing still in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," when Robert Redford spun and whirled, he blasted targets to smithereens. "I'm better when I move," said Redford, playing the role of Sundance. Without Hollywood or video game special effects, however, most basketball players are not.

It stands to reason that it is tougher to make threes on the move because more parts need to be synchronized.

"It is for a guy like me who doesn't shoot very many," said Jones, "but for guys who shoot off the dribble, a lot of times it's more comfortable than a wide-open shot."

Coach David Blatt properly pointed out James' 14 assists in Game 3. "He is creating a lot of offense for us," said Blatt.

He is just not finishing his own offense the way he usually does.

"I've just missed shots. Four that I missed were layups. I'm not too worried about that, " said James. "My 3-point shot is kind of out of whack right now. It's something I'll continue to hone in (on) and get better with that. But I'm not too worried about the shot selection."

The bottom line?

"Just out of rhythm," James said. "Not getting many catch-and-shoot threes. A lot of them are off the dribble. Just out of rhythm. Just not dropping for me."

In isolation sets, James' repeated jab steps not only get defenders back on their heels, they serve as shot cues and rhythmic beats of a sort. He has made many such shots, against strong defenders such as the Bulls' Jimmy Butler. He just isn't making them now.

Asked how to solve the problem, James said, "Just keep on taking them, get my rhythm."

It sounds like a Gershwin song, except one of the best players in the world, for the moment anyway, is missing the beat.