The Knight was defeated by the Bulls 117-118. In this battle, I have to admit 5 realistic problems.

On October 8, in the focus match of the NBA preseason, the Cavaliers played against the Bulls at home. The first quarter started, and Giddy made a free throw and scored the first point for the Bulls, taking the lead in breaking the deadlock. Mobri and Hunter then contributed 4 points to stabilize the situation for the Cavaliers. Immediately afterwards, Giddy sent an assist, helping Boozeris score at the basket to respond. After that, the game completely entered the Cavaliers' rhythm. Driven by Mitchell and Hunter, the Cavaliers burst out a 12-2 offensive climax and quickly established a double-digit lead. The Bulls' form recovered after taking the bench, leading the team to narrow the gap to 4 points, but at the end of the quarter, Nance and Porter stood up in time to help the Cavaliers regain control of the situation. At the end of the first quarter, they had 11 points in hand to lead. In the second quarter, Hunter made both free throws and further expanded the Cavaliers' advantage. Paway then launched a counterattack and scored 4 points in a row (including 2 free throws) to respond. Hunter and Jarrett Allen scored one after another to consolidate the Cavaliers' lead, Paway hit another three-pointer to continue the Bulls' offensive. After Boozeris and Gidey scored 4 points, the Bulls narrowed the gap to single digits. Mitchell and Tomlin teamed up to win 4 points to help the Cavaliers stabilize their position, but then the Cavaliers suddenly fell into stagnation of the offensive. The Bulls seized the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, and a 13-0 counterattack climax directly overtook. After halftime, the two teams tied 57-57 and returned to the same starting line.

The side changes again, Ocorro makes both free throws and Boozeris hits a three-pointer, helping the Bulls take the lead. Mobley and Hunter quickly fought back and scored 5 points in a row (including 2 free throws) to return to the opponent. Boozeris continued to be in a hot state, scoring 4 points in a row and leading the Bulls to a 8-2 climax, extending the lead to 6 points. However, after that, core players such as Boozeris came off the court and their offense and defense turned into a competition between the substitutes of both sides. At the critical moment, the Cavaliers' substitute Clayport broke out and scored two consecutive three-pointers, leading the team to a 12-0 offensive wave. After three quarters, the Cavaliers overtook 7 points. In the final quarter, both teams were sent to the third round of lineup. With the organizational connection of Killian Hayes, the Cavaliers gradually established a weak lead. At the end of the festival, Esange and Kawamura Yuki led the Bulls to launch the final attack and successfully overtake. In the last round of the Cavaliers, Tobu tried to hit hard inside, but was blocked by Jaylen Smith. In the end, the Bulls narrowly defeated the Cavaliers 118-117 to win this suspenseful battle.

This match, which is close to the last minute, is not only a simple preseason run-in, but also like a mirror, reflecting the hidden hopes and dilemmas of the two teams - after watching the game, I have to admit 5 cruel and real reality.

The first reality: The Bulls have finally found the cornerstone of the future, and the lineup thickness has become the stealth advantage of the Eastern Conference. Kobe White was absent in this game. It was originally a hidden danger for the Bulls, but unexpectedly became Boozeris' "inspection stage". This young player who was highly anticipated by the team effectively scored 19 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assist, whether it was the end of the inside or the protection of the rebound, it showed a maturity far beyond last season. It fully carried the banner of the team's offensive core and also allowed the Bulls to see his potential to strive for the "Fastest Progress Award".

In addition to Boozeris, Ocorro, who switched from the Cavaliers, was also suitable - he returned to the No. 2 position, scored 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal from 3 of 7 shots. His contribution to both offense and defense was far better than that of the Cavaliers' performance when playing No. 3 position, and he was not ruthless against the old owner. Even though Gidy only scored 3 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in the whole game, and was willing to be a green leaf, the Bulls can still rely on substitute players such as Dosem, Collins, and Paway to stabilize the situation. Such a lineup is enough to support their better ranking in the Eastern Conference in the new season. The only small regret is Yuki Kawamura, who made 1 of 4 shots in the game and scored only 3 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists. The talent gap makes it difficult for him to enter the regular rotation. Perhaps returning to the Japanese League is a more realistic choice.

The second reality: Ball became a "failed deal" for the Cavaliers, and it would be a loss after all to exchange Okoro for him. Watching Okoro shine and heat up in the Bulls, and comparing the performance of Ball Brother in the Cavaliers, it is inevitable that Cavaliers fans will be disappointed. In order to let Ball Brother replace Jerome, the Cavaliers chose to send Ocoro away, but the two consecutive years of serious injury had already caused Ball Brother to lose his peak level - in this game, he made 0 of 4 shots in the game, scored only 0 points, 1 assist and 1 turnover. The passing vision and defensive ability that he once relied on for survival had dropped sharply, and his contribution to the team was minimal. The comparison of this game is intuitive enough: Ocorro became the core of the Bulls' rotation, but Brother Ball became the "marginal man" of the Cavaliers. The deficit of this deal is already visible to the naked eye.

The third reality: The Cavaliers may be unable to break the "one round game" curse in the new season, and the upper limit can be seen by the naked eye. As a favorite to win the championship in the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers' core performance in this game was weak: Mitchell made 3 of 5 shots and scored only 7 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists, and it was difficult to find the peak of his "skipping" state throughout the whole game; Jarrett Allen, the former inside pillar, gradually became a blue-collar worker, with only 5 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, and his tactical status dropped significantly; even if Mobley made 5 of 10 shots, scored 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, showing DPOY-level progress, it is difficult to cover up the team's overall offensive weakness. Without Garland and Struth, the Cavaliers even fought hard battles in the preseason. If they were in the high-intensity confrontation in the regular season and even the playoffs, it would be difficult to break through the fate of the "first round of games".

The fourth reality: Hunter is the only relief of the Knight, and it was too unwise for the Eagle to send him away. On the night of the Knights' overall downturn, Hunter became the only shining point. 7 of 9 shots in the game scored 17 points, 7 rebounds and 1 assist. Whether it was an inside breakthrough or an outside end, it showed strong offensive talent, fully supporting the Cavaliers' offensive firepower. It was previously reported that after Struz was injured, Hunter forced the team to enter the starting lineup, and his performance in this game proved that he deserved a starting seat - his scoring stability and comprehensive offense and defense are far better than many rotation players in the Cavaliers. On the other hand, the Hawks chose to send Hunter away last season and bet on No. 1 pick Rissache, which now seems obviously unwise. At least from the current performance, Hunter's upper limit is higher than Rissache. In addition, Craig Porter on the bench is also worthy of recognition. He scored 17 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals on 6 of 9 shots, becoming the "firefighter" on the Cavaliers' bench.

The fifth reality: The Cavaliers' salary crisis is approaching, and the "breakup" next season is a foregone conclusion. What is more fatal than the hidden danger of record is the Cavaliers' salary dilemma. According to statistics, the Cavaliers' starting five-man salary in the new season is as high as US$195 million, which is only 6 million away from the expected luxury tax line. Even if all the remaining lineups sign basic-paying players, they will surpass the second rich line and face heavy fines from super luxury tax. This means that once the Cavaliers cannot achieve a breakthrough in the new season, they will have to face the fate of "breaking up the lineup" - as salary expert Bobby Max analyzed, the Cavaliers need to send at least two players with annual salary of more than 20 million like the Celtics, and Garland and Allen will leave sooner or later. A team that is highly anticipated to win the championship is not only limited, but it is destined to "break up" before it has been exerted. Such a situation is really sad.

This final battle with a one-point defeat is far more than a preseason victory for the Cavaliers and the Bulls. It not only allows the Bulls to see the direction of the future, but also exposes deep-rooted problems to the Cavaliers - these five reality may become a "rehearsal" of the fate of the two teams in the new season.