LeBron James continues domination of Bulls in Game 2s

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LeBron James wasn't happy with his efficiency in Game 1, as the four-time league MVP shot 9-for-22 in the Cavaliers' 99-92 home loss to the Bulls.

So directing an offense without the services of Kevin Love and JR Smith, James took it upon himself to be more assertive, attacking the rim at will and finishing with - as he wanted - much more efficiency.

The end result was 33 points, and while he needed 29 shots to get there, 11 of his made field goals came in the paint. James was just 2-for-8 outside of the paint, but 11-for-19 inside it.

It was a dominating performance from the league's best player, and another Game 2 in which he dissected the Bulls defense following a quiet Game 1.

[MORE: Bulls 'smashed' by Cavaliers in Game 2]

In four career Game 1s against the Bulls in the playoffs, James has been quiet. His teams are just 1-3, and he's averaged 20.5 points on 42.4 percent shooting from the field and 5.5 free throw attempts per game.

But he's responded quite well in Game 2s - as he did Wednesday night. In four Game 2s against the Bulls, James has now averaged 30.3 points on 56.5 percent shooting and 7.5 free throw attempts per game. He's attempted 85 shots in those four games, more than the 73 he's attempted in Game 1s.

It's a stark contrast, where one of the game's smartest player has felt out a series in Game 1 before figuring out his direction on how to attack the opponent and the series. 2015 has been no different, as the Cavaliers were forced to adjust on the fly without Kevin Love (shoulder) and J.R. Smith (suspension). James played primarily inside at power forward in Game 1, though David Blatt moved Tristan Thompson into the starting lineup - and subsequently pushed James to the perimeter - where he was far more effective attacking the basket and even working in the post on Jimmy Butler.

[MORE: Butler expected to be named Most Improved Player]

So how has James fared in Game 3s against the Bulls? He's 3-0 in such situations, averaging 28.6 points on 46 percent shooting. The most important statistic may be that James have averaged 11 trips to the free throw line in those games. It's not necessarily an indicator of what may happen Friday night, but it keeps in line the notion that James becomes more aggressive and assertive as series go on. That was the case Wednesday, and it helped the Cavaliers even things up heading back to Chicago.

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