Chicago Bulls: Marquee Games of Upcoming 2013-14 Season

The Chicago Bulls overachieved last season with 45 victories and a first-round series win over the Brooklyn Nets in the playoffs.

However, it is now time to quit focusing on the past and keep a watchful eye towards what lies ahead.

With the recent release of the 2013-14 NBA schedule, here are a few games on the slate that Bulls fans will want to circle on their calendars.

7. Nov. 11, 2013: Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls

Don't sleep on this one!

On the surface, this appears to be a walk in the park as the Bulls have dominated the Cavaliers since LeBron James took his talents to South Beach.

What fans of both teams should be excited about is the fact that this contest will feature Derrick Rose going against Kyrie Irving for the first time in their NBA careers.

Will D. Rose show the up-and-coming point guard who reigns supreme as the ultimate floor general or will Irving get the better of Rose in this showdown?

6. Nov. 24, 2013: Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Clippers

If you're a true Bulls fan, you certainly remember how the Clippers embarrassed Chicago the last time these two teams hooked up at the Staples Center.

The Bulls were held to just 34 percent shooting from the field, including a dismal 2-of-14 from beyond the arc en route to a 101-80 defeat.

While the Bulls will have some new faces on their roster, the Clippers have made some noticeable changes to their team as well.

Along with newcomers J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley, former Celtics coach Doc Rivers also joins the fold as the Clippers look to separate themselves in what promises to be a very competitive Western Conference.

Interesting fact: Rose recorded 29 points and 16 assists the last time he faced Chris Paul in a 104-101 victory back in December of 2011.

Will Rose be able to duplicate that kind of production against CP3 and lead the Bulls to victory this time around or will "Lob City" come out on top again?

5. March 13, 2014: Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls

The Houston Rockets will make their lone trip to the United Center in what will be an intriguing contest on multiple fronts.

Joakim Noah will square off against Dwight Howard in the middle while Rose and Co. will try to contain James Harden on the perimeter.

In the previous meeting between these two clubs on Christmas day last season, the Rockets defeated the Bulls 120-97, which marked one of the worse losses of the season for Chicago. 

4. Dec. 25, 2013: Chicago Bulls at Brooklyn Nets

None of us will forget the thrilling first-round playoff series between these two teams in 2013. 

After falling behind 3-1, the Nets fought back to tie the series and forced a seventh game on their home court. 

Despite the fact the Bulls were missing Rose, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich, they managed to squeak by the Nets 99-93, marking the first time the franchise won a Game 7 on the road. 

With a healthy Bulls team going up against a Nets squad that includes Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in the starting lineup, this contest will definitely have a playoff-like atmosphere. 

3. Nov. 6, 2013: Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers

Last season, the Pacers won three of the four meetings between these two clubs and they beat out the Bulls for the division crown. 

In addition to that, Indiana advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2004 and pushed the eventual-champion Miami Heat to seven games. 

With the expected return of Danny Granger, along with the additions of Chris Copeland and former Bull C.J. Watson, the Pacers will be in the playoff hunt once again this season. 

This promises to be a low-scoring, grind-it-out affair between two teams that finished second and third respectively in points allowed per game a year ago. 

2. Oct. 31, 2013: New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls

Although the Knicks finished the 2012-13 campaign with the second-best record in the conference, the Bulls swept the season series 4-0.

While the rivalry between these two teams has always made for great entertainment, that is not the reason why Bulls fans will be excited for the team's first home game of the season.

All eyes will be on Derrick Rose as he will play in front of the United Center crowd for the first time since tearing his ACL in the first game of the 2012 playoffs.

Will Rose help Chicago continue its recent dominance over New York, or will Carmelo Anthony and Co. play the role of spoilers?

1. Oct, 29, 2013: Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat

What better way to kick off the new season than with a road game against the two-time defending champion Miami Heat.

Being that the Heat have eliminated the Bulls from the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, there are plenty of reasons why Bull fans will be looking forward to this opening-night matchup. 

Derrick Rose recently stated that he is the best player in the NBA (per Dan Devine of Yahoo! Sports) and a solid outing against LeBron James and the Heat could go a long way in helping to solidify those comments.