The Chicago Bulls (1-0) are starting the season on the right foot.
DeMar DeRozan scored 37 points—continuing where he left off after the regular season earlier this year—as Chicago defeated the Miami Heat (0-1) 116-108 in Florida.
DeRozan scored 28 of his 37 points in the second half while Ayo Dosunmu added 17 for the short-handed Bulls, ESPN noted. The Bulls played without All-Star guard Zach LaVine because of left knee injury management.
It was the second-most points DeRozan had ever scored in an opener, behind only the 40 he had for Toronto against Detroit on Oct. 26, 2015.
Nikola Vucevic had 15 points and 17 rebounds for the Bulls, and Goran Dragic added 12 off the Chicago bench. Former Bulls player Jimmy Butler led Miami with 24 points.
The Bulls will next visit Washington on Friday, Oct. 21.