Bulls vs. Heat: 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5
The Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The teams have played each other since the Cavaliers joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1970, but the rivalry did not begin in earnest until the Bulls drafted Michael Jordan with the third overall pick in 1984. After Jordan would go on to the Washington Wizards and eventually retire, the rivalry died down, but when Cleveland picked LeBron James with the first selection in 2003, the rivalry heated up again.
Quick Facts
- Series context
- Eastern Conference Finals
- Result
- Miami Heat win 83-80 (Game 5)
- Key turning point
- Derrick Rose's missed three-pointer at the buzzer
- Final series outcome
- Heat advance 4-1
- Notable performance
- LeBron James' all-around dominance in the closeout game
Lore & Background
In 2011, Bleacher Report named the Bulls as the Cavaliers' 'Greatest Rivalry.' The NBA called it 'one of the great NBA rivalries.' The Michael Jordan era featured 'The Shot' in 1989 and a sequel in 1993. A notable regular season moment took place on March 28, 1990, when Jordan scored a career-high 69 points. The LeBron James era saw the Cavaliers win their first ever series against Chicago in 2010. On January 2, 2023, Donovan Mitchell scored 71 points against the Bulls. The Cavaliers and Bulls faced off in the 2024 NBA Cup, with the Cavaliers winning the group stage game on November 15. On July 6, 2025, the Bulls and Cavaliers agreed to a trade that sent Lonzo Ball to the Cavaliers in exchange for Isaac Okoro.
Reader's Guide
The rivalry is divided into the Michael Jordan era and the LeBron James era. Key playoff meetings include 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2010, and 2015. The Bulls won six NBA championships with Jordan and Scottie Pippen, and three of those with Dennis Rodman. The Cavaliers ended a 52-year championship drought in 2016.
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