CLEVELAND – Richard Hamilton and Carlos Boozer each scored 19 points, and the Bulls routed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 115-86, on Friday night.
Nate Robinson added 16 points and 12 assists for the Bulls, who led the entire game after Boozer hit a jumper 23 seconds in. The Bulls made 14 of 19 from the field in the first quarter and led 36-16 with 10:34 remaining in the second.
The Bulls shot 63.8 percent from the field for the game, hitting 44 of 69 shots.
The Cavaliers, who defeated Washington in their opener, struggled on both ends of the floor. Kyrie Irving had 15 points, but Cleveland shot 32 of 79 from the field (41 percent) and committed 17 turnovers.
Hamilton scored 14 points in the third quarter, and Robinson had 12 in the second.
The Bulls are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since the 2002-03 season despite playing without star point guard Derrick Rose, who isn’t expected to return until the second half of the season because of a knee injury. The Bulls were 18-9 without Rose last season and earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Rose tore the ACL in his left knee in Game 1 of the first round against Philadelphia and the Bulls were eliminated by the 76ers.
The Bulls have won nine straight games over the Cavaliers, who haven’t recorded a win in the series since LeBron James left town after the 2010 season. The Bulls have won the past four games by an average margin of 30.2 points. The Cavaliers haven’t defeated the Bulls since March 19, 2010.
Luol Deng added 14 points for the Bulls, who begin a five-game homestand tonight against New Orleans. Joakim Noah scored 10.
Hamilton, plagued by injuries last season, scored 19 points in the Bulls’ season-opening win over Sacramento.
Anderson Varejao, who set career highs with 23 rebounds and nine assists in the opener, scored 12 points for Cleveland, which opens six-game, 11-day road trip today in Milwaukee. Alonzo Gee also scored 12. Rookie guard Dion Waiters, the Cavaliers’ No. 1 draft pick, scored seven points after having 17 in the opener.
Notes: Boozer also had seven rebounds and six assists. ... G Kirk Hinrich, who is replacing Rose in the starting lineup, picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter. He scored nine points and had six assists in 18 minutes. Hinrich is playing with a groin injury.
... The Cavaliers’ trip also includes stops in Los Angeles to play the Clippers, Golden State, Phoenix, Oklahoma City and Brooklyn. ... Rookie C Tyler Zeller picked up three fouls in 4 minutes in the first half. He scored eight points, with seven coming in the second half.
