Nikola Mirotic scored 19 points and Derrick Rose added 18 to lead the Chicago Bulls to a season-opening 97-95 victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers with President Barack Obama watching on Tuesday night.

Pau Gasol blocked a potential tying layup by James in the closing seconds. Jimmy Butler then broke up an inbounds pass intended for James as time expired.

The president sat courtside for most of the game as his beloved Bulls knocked off the defending Eastern Conference champions and gave coach Fred Hoiberg a narrow win in his first game.

James scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers came up short against the team they knocked out in the conference semifinals last season.

>>Noah Leaves Game For Bulls

You want to be able to make it through the first game, at least, without an injury. Especially when you are coming off an injury-plagued season like Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah. He has been moved to the bench in the first year of Fred Hoiberg coaching the team, but he's still a very important member of the team that will need to help facilitate on offense and cover up on defense.

With 8:53 left in the fourth quarter of opening night, Richard Jefferson drove baseline, banged knees with Noah, and the Bulls' big man dropped to the floor. He'd leave the game immediately and watch the rest of the game from the bench.