Cavaliers' J.R. Smith Suspended For 2 Games
(CBS) Consider this the Bulls' second stroke of good fortune Monday, assuming they can take care of business and close out the Bucks in the first round against the Bucks.
Cavaliers starting shooting guard J.R. Smith has been suspended for the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the league announced, after he hit the Celtics' Jae Crowder in the head in Sunday's win in Boston. Leading 3-1 in its first-round series entering Game 5 Monday night, Chicago would advance to face Cleveland with one more win against Milwaukee.
The Smith news came about an hour after the Cavaliers announced star forward Kevin Love would miss the entirety of the conference semifinal series after he dislocated his shoulder Sunday.
That means a Cleveland team that was already utilizing an eight-man rotation is down two of its top players.
Smith averaged 12.7 points and shot 39 percent from 3-point range in the regular season.