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Bulls prepare for rematch with Heat

CHICAGO – Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is looking forward to the challenge of facing the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon, but he wants to keep things in perspective.

“Last year is last year,” Rose said after Friday night’s 107-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. “We’re not trying to think about that. We know this is a new year. They have a great team, and it’s definitely going to be a battle out there.”

Rose apparently doesn’t want anyone to dwell on the Heat’s beating the Bulls 4-1 in the Eastern Conference finals last season.

While Rose tried to play down the rivalry, Bulls center Joakim Noah admitted that facing the Heat is not like most other games.

It was Noah who famously called the Heat “Hollywood as hell” after Game 5 last season.

“It’s definitely not another game,” Noah said. “It’s definitely not another game.”

Noah stopped himself before saying something he thought might pump up the rivalry even more, despite prodding from reporters.

“It’s just not another game,” he said. “That’s really all I have to say about that.”

Each game of last season’s Eastern Conference finals was a battle. Neither team wanted to give an inch, and both teams played solid defense throughout the series.

Noah and his teammates feel they have to prove themselves against the team that beat them last season. While some players tried to downplay the significance, it was obvious from other players’ reactions that the game against the Heat will be more intense than usual.

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Nick Friedell covers the Bulls for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.

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