Zitat Cavs Coach: There will be some games guys sit out. But it will be different times for different guys. I look at these games as a high-level practice. Obviously, if we don't win, it really doesn't matter.”

The Cavs and Bulls have faced each other three times this season, with Cleveland leading the head-to-head series 2-1. As an 11.5-point road underdog on November 5, Chicago pulled off a surprising 86-85 victory. On December 4, Cleveland got revenge at home 101-87, just barely covering a 12.5-point spread.

Their most recent encounter came in Chicago on March 19. The Cavaliers, 10-point road favorites, prevailed 92-85 behind 29 points from LeBron James and they out-rebounded the Bulls 53-41. Chicago was playing without Noah and point guard Derrick Rose.


The Cavaliers, meanwhile, have nothing to gain over their final four games but perhaps some rest. James played 35 minutes Tuesday - still his least amount of action since March 1 - but could see his workload decrease against the Bulls and Friday against Indiana.
"If LeBron plays, we have a better chance of winning," coach Mike Brown said, adding that he sees Friday as the more likely day to seriously limit his starters' minutes. "But I'm not going to compromise any of my guys just to get a win."
Guards Delonte West and Daniel Gibson are likely to sit out Thursday, and Brown doesn't anticipate Shaquille O'Neal returning in any of the next three games.
"Win, lose or draw, we want to continue to improve," James told the NBA's official Web site. "We don't want to take a step back, even if (the starters) sit out. These are meaningful games for us to stay in our rhythm."