NBA: Miami Heat score opening day winner against Chicago Bulls

Two-time reigning NBA champions Miami Heat picked up where they left off with an opening-day win over the Chicago Bulls after receiving their title rings.

Seven Heat players recorded double-figure points tallies, led by LeBron James (17) and Chris Bosh (16).

Despite having at one stage led by 25 points, Miami saw their opponents get within eight at 95-87 in the fourth quarter before pullinq away again to triumph 107-95.

“You never know what to expect when you’re trying to keep the main thing the main thing, and that’s the game,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.

“But you can’t deny the emotions and what a special moment it was for everybody in the organization because we know how difficult that was and how harrowing that was last season. So it was great to actually get the win after that to cap off a very good night for the Miami Heat.”

LeBron James had 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds for Miami, which got its 2013 NBA championship rings and raised the franchise’s third banner in a pregame ceremony.

The Heat trailed 9-2 early, then outscored Chicago 52-24 over the remainder of the first half.

Rose finished with 12 points in 34 minutes in his first game since a serious knee injury in April 2012. Carlos Boozer had 31 points and seven rebounds for Chicago, which got within eight points in the final minutes.

“We’re not trying to pull close. There were a lot of corrections that we have to make,” said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

“It always comes back to the same thing — our defense and our rebounding. And if we could have taken better care of the ball early on, we would have been in position to win down the stretch.”

Chris Bosh scored 16 points, Battier finished with 14 and Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers each had 13 for Miami, which had seven players score in double figures. Ray Allen and Norris Cole each scored 11 for Miami.