CLEVELAND -- Luol Deng misses his close friends in Chicago. The Bulls seem to be getting along fine without him. D.J. Augustin scored 27 points in a start for Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson matched a career high with 26 filling in for Carlos Boozer as the Bulls improved to 7-2 since trading the popular Deng with a 98-87 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Augustin and Mike Dunleavy hit 3-pointers down the stretch to pace the Bulls, who have won three straight, nine of 11 and moved over .500 for the first time since Nov. 22. Chicago reached the seasons mid-point at 21-20, not where many expected the Bulls to be sitting after dealing Deng. The two-time All-Star was a non-factor in his first game against his former team, which traded him for draft picks on Jan. 6. Deng went just 2 of 11 from the field and scored 11 points in 40 minutes. "It was strange," Deng said. "Its the Cavs versus the Bulls and not so much about me. In terms of me, I could have played better." Joakim Noah had 18 rebounds for the Bulls, who appeared to be looking toward the future when they traded Deng, not long after losing superstar Derrick Rose to a season-ending injury. But the Bulls arent fading away as coach Tom Thibodeau has them playing with their usual defensive tenacity. Dengs not around, but the Bulls remain as tough as always. "Its one of the things I respect about our team," Thibodeau said. "They respond to every challenge. They have a lot of heart. Theyre playing together. Each day they have the right approach. If someones out, the next five get in there and get the job done. Were short-handed. We understand how hard we have to play to give ourselves a chance to win." Kyrie Irving scored 26 to lead Cleveland, which has dropped the first two games of a five-game homestand. The Cavs have lost all of their momentum after going 3-2 on the road. "Were not making any excuses here," Irving said. "Weve got to pick it up." Although they were missing two starters in Boozer (calf) and Hinrich (hamstring), the Bulls had more than enough to hold off the Cavaliers. Making just his fourth start, Gibson scored 12 in the third as the Bulls opened a 71-62 lead entering the fourth. Dunleavys 3-pointer extended Chicagos lead to 12 in the opening minute of the final quarter, but the Cavs fought back behind Dion Waiters and pulled to 84-81 on his 3. However, Dunleavy scored again, Noah made a layup and Augustin buried a 3-pointer to give the Bulls a 91-81 lead. The Cavs were still within 93-87 when Dunleavy knocked down another 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to seal Chicagos win. Dunleavy added 22 points for the Bulls, who got just four points from their bench. Waiters had 15 for Cleveland. Deng spent 10 seasons with the Bulls, and the 28-year-old knew it would be challenging to oppose his ex-teammates. "Its definitely going to be weird because its guys Im really close with and it feels like just yesterday I was going to battle with them and now Im going against them," he said at the morning shootaround. Following the game, Deng acknowledged it was difficult to face players he knows so well. "I tried to really play the game within myself," he said. "They played good D. I missed shots. Im not happy with my performance. Thats a good defensive team. Weve just got to keep growing." Before the opening tip, Deng ran over to Chicagos bench and hugged Thibodeau and shook hands with all of the teams assistant coaches. "It says a lot about who he is," Thibodeau said. "That didnt surprise me." Gibson said there were some awkward moments going against Deng. "It felt weird," Gibson said. "There was tension before the game because we werent talking. Its like Tibs said, We love him but were going to go knock him on his butt if he tries to score. After the game, were going to be friends." Outworked by a depleted Chicago team, the Cavs fell behind by 10 early in the second quarter and were down 35-29 when Irving heated up. He made five consecutive 3-pointers in the final 5:45 of the second quarter to give the Cavs a 44-43 lead at halftime. NOTES: Deng spent nearly 20 minutes after the shootaround discussing his days in Chicago, which ended shortly after he rejected a three-year, $30 million contract extension, an offer and pay cut that he and his agents didnt find adequate. Asked if he would consider returning to the Bulls as a free agent this summer, Deng took a swipe at Chicagos front office. "Maybe theyll offer me three years, $30 million," he cracked. "That might be an option to take." ... Noah has recorded at least 10 rebounds in 14 straight games, the longest stretch in franchise history since Dennis Rodman posted 43 straight in 97. Patrick Beverley Jersey . Others describe it as taking the parrot for a walk. Montrezl Harrell Jersey . 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Jerome Robinson Jersey . -- The defending Canadian womens curling champions squandered an opportunity to take sole possession of first place in the standings Tuesday at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.VANCOUVER - Radim Vrbata has two goals for the Vancouver Canucks final pre-season game: do well and stay healthy.You want both. I think you want to play as close as you to can to how youre going to play the first game of the season, said the veteran winger. You want to be close to the top of your play as a team and as individuals.Everybodys gearing up to that first game.The Canucks wrap up their exhibition schedule Saturday night at home against the Edmonton Oilers before the regular season gets underway Wednesday in Calgary against the Flames.Players and coaches probably look at (the pre-season finale) a little different, Vancouver head coach Willie Desjardins said after Fridays practice at Rogers Arena. I want to see it as This is how were going to play. The players probably see it as I want to get out of this healthy.I want to push us and I want us to have a good game.Saturday will mark a final tuneup for some players, while for others it will be a last chance to make an impression with Vancouvers decision makers.Im looking to ramp it right up, said Canucks forward Zack Kassian, who has missed time with a lower-body injury. Its one more until the real deal starts, so theres no sitting back. Theres no feeling it out.Linden Vey has bounced between centre and the wing during pre-season a€” as well as playing on the first power-play unit a€” and looks to have cemented a job with the Canucks after being acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings.Its the last one so you want to make sure to bring your best effort. This is what everybodys been gearing up for all summer, said Vey. Were looking forward to it. This is the time of year you want to be playing. This is the last chance to get everything ready to go for the start of the year.Canucks goalie Miller, who like Vrbata signed with the team in the off-season, said hes still getting comfortable in the crease and is learning the tendencies of his teammates a€” especially the defencemen.I think were moving in the right direction and I just want to keep doing my part, said Miller. Theres always more to do. Its never finished, so its always going to be a process but its feeling good a€” just getting things underway here has been exciting.Trying to have good intensity, good focus, get things movingg and get your mind right for the regular season.ddddddddddddn the other side is Nicklas Jensen, who is still with the big club but remains in a tenuous position. He and fellow forward Bo Horvat a€” who suffered a shoulder contusion on Thursday in Edmonton that isnt considered serious a€” are battling for a spot up front.And with Horvat on the shelf for a few days, Jensen has one more chance to impress.Im happy with how Ive played, said the 21-year-old Dane. Theres some stuff I know I could have done a little bit better and I wanted to change, but theres also some stuff Im very happy about. The fact that Ive been consistent over all the games has been good.Desjardins said he has been impressed with how all the youngsters have competed.(Jensen) has been pretty good all year. He skates well, hes opened up ice well, said the rookie coach. He hasnt looked out of place, but I think you could say the same with Bo Horvat. He hasnt looked out of place either.Our lineup should be hard to crack. It should be tough for guys to get in. The good thing is these guys are pushing hard and theyre making the choices harder.One of those choices was to send Hunter Shinkaruk down to the AHLs Utica Comets on Friday. A former first-round pick like both Jensen and Horvat, the Canucks felt the 19-year-old forward needed more time to develop.Hes got to get a more all-around game, said Desjardins. I thought he was good offensively. I thought there were times that he showed real well and thats what we want out of him. We want him to be a guy that loves to score, a guy thats quick on the attack, and I think he showed those things. But he needs more experience at the pro level.To get his game to the best it can be he needs a little more time.Like a lot of young players, Desjardins said the defensive side of the game is something Shinkaruk needs to work on, and that the demotion should be a positive for his development in the long run.What you want as a young player is when you get (to the NHL) you want to be able to stay, said Desjardins. You dont want to come up and then lose your confidence and then get sent down because that could really hurt your career. I think hell get more confidence the next time hes up by playing down in the American Hockey League. 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