The Bulls and Cavaliers have a long history of rivalry. The two teams first met in the playoffs in 1988, with the Bulls winning in six games. Since then, they have met in the playoffs eight more times, including a seven-game series in 2009 which the Cavs won. The rivalry has been heated at times, with several players getting into confrontations with each other.
The two teams met in the playoffs again in 2010, with the Bulls winning in five games. However, the Cavs got their revenge the following year, defeating the Bulls in six games to make it to the NBA Finals.
The Michael Jordan Era
The Bulls and Cavaliers had their biggest rivalry during the Michael Jordan era. Jordan was one of the greatest players in NBA history, and he had a fierce rivalry with Cleveland’s LeBron James. The two players faced each other in the playoffs four times, with the Bulls winning three of those series. However, James has had the edge in their head-to-head matchups, winning six of the ten games they have played against each other.
Jordan’s rivalry with James was one of the biggest in NBA history, and it helped to make the Bulls-Cavaliers rivalry one of the best in the league. The two teams are sure to continue to battle each other for years to come.
The hot
Perhaps the most famous moment in the Bulls-Cavaliers rivalry came in 1998, when Jordan hit “The Shot” to win Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals and send the Bulls to the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers had a two-point lead with less than 10 seconds remaining, but Jordan hit a jump shot over Craig Ehlo to win the game.
The Shot is one of the most famous moments in NBA history, and it helped to cement the Bulls-Cavaliers rivalry as one of the best in the league.
The Lebron James era
The Bulls-Cavaliers rivalry reached its peak in the LeBron James era. James was one of the best players in the NBA, and he had an intense rivalry with the Bulls’ Derrick Rose. The two players faced each other in the playoffs three times, with the Bulls winning twice. However, James got the last laugh, leading the Cavaliers to victory in the 2015 playoffs en route to the NBA Finals.
The rivalry between James and Rose was one of the best in the NBA, and it helped to make the Bulls-Cavaliers rivalry one of the most intense in the league. The two teams continue to battle each other every year, and there is sure to be more fireworks between them in the future.
chicago bulls rival
The Chicago Bulls best rivals are the Detroit Pistons, Mimi Heat, and New York Knicks. The Chicago Bulls are a team that hardly needs an introduction. Added as an expansion team to the NBA in 1966 , this franchise has a long history.
That history includes six championships, all of which were won with the help of who many consider to be the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. Being the best tends to create enemies, and where there are enemies, legendary rivalries are sure to be found.