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Joe Murphy/Getty ImagesJoakim Noah became the first person in Bulls history to score at least 20 points and grab at least 20 rebounds in a playoff game.

Joakim Noah became the first player in Bulls history to record a 20-20 playoff double-double on Sunday afternoon as he scored 21 points and pulled down 20 rebounds. His game impressed plenty of people in the United Center, including the NBA's reigning MVP.

"I've always respected him as a player," Cavaliers superstar LeBron James said after leading the Cavs to a 121-98 victory and 3-1 series lead. "He's a really good player; a really good talent … and he's continued to improve.

”He's very athletic. He's very long around the basket. If a shot goes up, if you don't get a body on him he's able to tip home shots .. I knew he was going to be effective. He's doing a great job for that team. They have a good one."

The accomplishment did not make Noah feel any better about the fact his team had just been put on the brink of elimination.

"Right now it's all about winning ballgames," he said. "That's what makes the city happy. That's what makes us happy at the end of the day."

Hinrich goes ice cold again: The Cavaliers knew coming into the game that Kirk Hinrich was the x-factor for the Bulls. In Game 3, he ripped off 27 points after being non-existent over the first two games of the series. In Game 4 he reverted back to his previous form, shooting just 3-for-13 from the field and scoring just 10 points.

"I felt like I got really good looks, I just didn't knock them down tonight,” he said.

He wasn't the only one who struggled.

Luol Deng, Brad Miller and Hakim Warrick combined to go 9-for-29 from the field.

Stat of night: The Cavs shot 53 percent from the field while the Bulls shot 37 percent.

The last word: : Bulls point guard Derrick Rose on whether Cleveland's intensity level was different on Sunday than it had been on Thursday night."They were switching up people and putting a lot of different people on me. If anything, they just out-hustled us today."