NEW YORK -- Dwyane Wade heard something during the Chicago Bulls' 118-88 destruction of the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night that few opposing players hear during the season.

Cheers.

A few minutes into the fourth quarter of a forgettable game at the start of the long NBA season, the 34-year-old future Hall of Famer excited many of the fans at Barclays Center by breaking down several Nets defenders and busting out his crossover handles.

"He's still got some 'AH!' in his bag," Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler said. "Very impressive. I think it's great the way the crowd was cheering for him tonight. It's messed up -- he passed the ball and they booed him. I wanted D-Wade to have the ball, too."

Dwyane Wade wowed the Brooklyn crowd with his handle on Monday en route to 12 points and a Bulls victory. Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The move that left Butler and the Brooklyn fans buzzing came with 9:49 remaining in the fourth quarter as Wade took the ball on the right side of the floor and crossed up Nets forward Bojan Bogdanovic en route to an and-1. From that point on until he departed the game a few minutes later, Wade was cheered loudly each time he had the ball. In those moments, the atmosphere felt like that of a playground game when one player completely takes over to the delight of those watching.

"I did hear them," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said of the fans. "I normally don't, but you couldn't help but hear tonight. I think they booed us when he threw the ball to somebody else. All the way across the board he's great for our organization. From his leadership -- just who he is. As a person, as a player. He's a great teammate. And we're lucky to have him."

Wade's handles were the latest positive display for a Bulls team that is now 3-0 for the first time since the start of the 1996-97 season. For his part, Wade tried to take the crowd's excitement in stride.

"I always get great support when I come here to Brooklyn," Wade said, recalling the cheers he received as a member of the Miami Heat. "The fans [are] amazing. It feels like a home [crowd]. I don't even know if they cheer for me like that at home when I get the ball. So it was great to be out there in that environment. It always is every time I come here. But most importantly, our team got the win."

Wade's play -- and the reaction to it -- is giving Bulls personnel reason to be as giddy as fans as the season opens up. Led by Wade, Rajon Rondo and Butler, the Bulls are playing with a cohesion on the floor that was hard to find throughout last season. Wade continues to try to be a calming veteran presence for a young team, and it's obvious his teammates are enjoying playing with the three-time NBA champion.

"We're still learning each other right now, we're only three games in," Wade said. "But we see it looking good at times. Where it's just us out there and we feel very comfortable and everybody on the defensive end of the floor trusts each other, and that's rare early in the season for a team that hasn't played together. But we're vocal. Everyone is vocal, everyone is talking to each other, communicating, so that goes a long way."