LeBron powers Cavs to easy win over slumping Bulls

LeBron James is back and the Cleveland Cavaliers are suddenly rolling again. 

James scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Cavaliers to an easy 108-94 victory over the slumping Chicago Bulls on Monday in a battle of two of the Eastern Conference's top teams. 

Chicago has dropped six of its last eight games, including losses to three of the East's biggest powerhouses over that stretch. 

The Bulls lost twice to the Washington Wizards in a span of a week and also fell to the conference-best Atlanta Hawks before getting dismantled by the Cavaliers.

"Everybody has to be on the same page, until then we're going to continue to get our ass kicked," Derrick Rose said after the loss, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN.

Cleveland handled the Bulls in convincing fashion, leading by as many as 25 at one point, to win their third consecutive game. Chicago was outscored 46-30 in the paint and was held to 37.5 percent shooting - its fifth-worst mark of the season. 

The Cavaliers went 1-7 while James recently sat out with knee and back strains, but are on track again and the game's biggest superstar has been the primary reason why. 

James has shot over 50 percent from the field in three of four games since returning from the longest absence of his career. His big effort has the Cavaliers 4.5 games behind the Bulls for first place in the Central Division. 

The impact James has on the success of the Cavaliers cannot be overstated. Cleveland is 1-8 without him and 21-12 when he's in the lineup.

Newcomers Timofey Mozgov and J.R. Smith played big roles in the victory, too. Mozgov had 15 points and 15 rebounds - his highest totals since joining the Cavaliers - while Smith added 20 points and shot 6-of-9 from long range. All five Cleveland starters scored in double figures.

Jimmy Butler led Chicago with 20 points, but combined with Rose and Pau Gasol to shoot 15-of-44 from the field.