Following his first season in the NBA, Bulls forward Luol Deng had to steer clear of the weight room after off-season wrist surgery.

This past summer, in preparation for his third pro season, Deng finally got a chance to lift some weights and bulk up his rather slight 21-year-old frame.

Tonight in Cleveland (7 p.m. CST | TNT | WCKG 105.9 FM), any added muscle should be put to good use as Deng draws the One, the Only, LeBron James.

Deng will likely split defensive duties with Andres Nocioni, whose physical style might ultimately prove more effective against the new LBJ (no relation to the old one). But no matter the matchup, Bulls defenders must find a way to slow James, who torched Chicago last season en route to a 4-0 season-series sweep by Cleveland.

Rarely mentioned, James does in fact have teammates, some of whom can play a little. Larry Hughes, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden, Anderson Varejao and former Bull Donyell Marshall, to name a few, can all hurt the Bulls if containing James becomes the defense's sole focus.

Still, it all starts with James, who doesn't just score (though, at 27.8 points a game, does lead Cleveland in that department). James' 5.5 assists per game also leads the Cavs, which makes defending him and his teammates a tricky proposition. Finding that fine balance is the mission – and undoubtedly, it's a tough one. 

But then, that's what Deng, Nocioni and the rest of the Bulls get paid the big bucks for.