Chapter 340: The Wall He Couldn’t Break.
As the starting lineups were introduced, Kyrie Irving received a mix of boos and cheers from the Cleveland crowd.
His public shots at the Cavs after the trade had been outrageous, but that didn't mean people had forgotten what he had done for the franchise.
His battle against Miami two years ago, playing until his season-ending injury... his clutch performances last year against the Heat in the East Finals... many fans still remembered.
For a brief moment, Kyrie's eyes wavered.
But just as quickly, his expression hardened.
With introductions over, both teams set their starting five:
Chicago Bulls: Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Doug McDermott, Taj Gibson, Pau Gasol.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Dwyane Wade, Han Sen, P.J. Tucker, Tristan Thompson, Nikola Jokić.
Jokić won the opening tip, and the game was underway.
Han took the ball into the frontcourt, called for a screen from Tristan Thompson, and attacked the strong side. As soon as the Bulls' defense shifted, he swung the ball weak-side to Wade, setting him up for isolation.
Wade had been working on his three-point shot, but he wasn't Kyrie-level from deep.