Cavaliers beat Bulls 115-110 on March 19, 2026, overcoming late Chicago surge without Mitchell
Cleveland builds early cushion, withstands fourth-quarter push
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls 115-110 on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at the United Center, using a three-quarter advantage to hold off a late Chicago rally. Cleveland led 32-22 after the first quarter, extended the margin to 61-45 at halftime, and carried a 93-73 lead into the fourth before the Bulls’ 37-point final period tightened the finish.
The result moved Cleveland to 43-27 on the season and dropped Chicago to 28-42. The game was played with Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell sidelined, shifting more of the scoring and playmaking responsibility to Cleveland’s remaining primary creators.
Harden and Mobley anchor Cleveland’s offense
James Harden delivered the centerpiece performance for Cleveland, finishing with 36 points, while Evan Mobley added 26 points and 14 rebounds. The Cavaliers’ ability to generate efficient scoring in the first three quarters—paired with enough late execution—proved decisive despite a sharp swing in fourth-quarter momentum.
Quarter-by-quarter scoring illustrated the arc of the game:
- First quarter: Cavaliers 32, Bulls 22
- Second quarter: Cavaliers 29, Bulls 23 (Cleveland led 61-45 at halftime)
- Third quarter: Cavaliers 32, Bulls 28 (Cleveland led 93-73 entering the fourth)
- Fourth quarter: Bulls 37, Cavaliers 22 (final: 115-110)
Key statistical separators: rebounding, turnovers, and free-throw volume
Team-level numbers from the tracker reflected how Cleveland created enough extra possessions and points at the stripe to offset Chicago’s late scoring burst. Cleveland held a rebounding edge and forced more Chicago turnovers, while also getting to the free-throw line more often.
- Rebounds: Cleveland 35, Chicago 27
- Turnovers: Cleveland 5, Chicago 12
- Free throws: Cleveland 12-for-19, Chicago 3-for-4
- Three-pointers: Cleveland 9-for-23, Chicago 8-for-22
Chicago’s assist totals were comparable to Cleveland’s, but the Bulls’ turnover count and the free-throw gap left less margin for error—especially after falling behind by 18 points entering the fourth quarter.
Giddey’s playmaking stands out in defeat
For Chicago, Josh Giddey’s passing was a notable feature of the night. He finished with 12 assists, helping drive the Bulls’ ball movement during their fourth-quarter comeback attempt. Chicago’s late surge narrowed what had been a comfortable Cleveland lead, but the Cavaliers preserved the win after controlling the opening three quarters.
Final score: Cavaliers 115, Bulls 110 — Cleveland led by as many as 20 points after three quarters before Chicago’s 37-point fourth quarter.
The teams’ season trajectories remained unchanged by a single game—Cleveland reinforcing its ability to win without a key scorer, and Chicago showing late-game competitiveness while still needing cleaner possession control to translate rallies into wins.