Bulls-Nets Preview

By MATT BECKER
Posted Feb 06 2012 9:52AM

Playing with Luol Deng for the first time in two weeks, the Chicago Bulls once again resembled a championship contender.

They looked like a title team even without Deng against the New Jersey Nets last month.

Deng looks to build on an encouraging performance and help the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls send the struggling Nets to their fifth loss in six games Monday night at the Prudential Center.

After missing seven games with a torn ligament in his left wrist, Deng returned in Saturday's 113-90 win over Milwaukee. The starting small forward didn't seem to miss a beat, finishing with 21 points on 9-of-19 shooting and nine rebounds in 41 minutes.

"He got out there and did everything," coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Deng, averaging 16.2 points and a career-best 7.6 rebounds, opted against surgery after doctors told him he couldn't make the injury any worse by playing.

"I felt it, (and) I'm going to feel it," Deng said. "As the game goes on, I forgot about it."

Led by reigning MVP Derrick Rose, the Bulls (20-6) went 4-3 without Deng. In the last two games he missed, Chicago suffered a 98-82 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday and barely held off sputtering New York a night later in a 105-102 victory.

With Deng on the court against the Bucks, Rose scored 16 of Chicago's first 18 points. He finished with 26 points, 13 assists and no turnovers.

"He makes the game easy," Rose said of Deng. "He makes everybody comfortable out there. It feels good when we have all our leaders out there."

The first game Deng sat out came against the Nets on Jan. 23, but the Bulls didn't seem too fazed. Chicago led by 12 midway through the first quarter and shot a season-best 57.3 percent in a 110-95 victory.

Rose, playing for the first time after sitting out the previous four games with a sprained left big toe, had 22 points and eight assists, while Richard Hamilton had 22 points and 10 assists and Joakim Noah had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bulls' starters outscored New Jersey's 85-45 in leading the team to a third straight win in the series. Chicago's 84-73 victory in a March 17 trip to the Prudential Center was just its second win in its last 18 games in New Jersey.

The Nets (8-17), however, haven't been enjoying much success at the Prudential Center - or any arena, for that matter - this season.

New Jersey, 3-7 at home with victories over Golden State (8-13), Charlotte (3-21) and Detroit (6-20), is coming off Saturday's 99-92 loss at New York, its fourth defeat in five games. Deron Williams finished with 21 points and 11 assists, but was outplayed by Knicks' seldom-used reserve Jeremy Lin, who scored a career-high 25.

"When you have a guy coming off your bench like that and getting 25 points, it's pretty deflating," coach Avery Johnson said.

The Nets were outrebounded by New York 48-39 and could again have trouble on the glass against the Bulls. Chicago is first in the league in rebounding at 44.9 per game, while New Jersey's ranks 28th at 39.5. The Bulls held a 43-32 advantage on the boards in the first meeting.

Williams had 16 points and 10 assists at the United Center two weeks ago, while Anthony Morrow scored 15.

Morrow followed his career-best 42-point performance in Friday's home loss to Minnesota with just 11 against the Knicks, but the Bulls won't have to worry about stopping him Monday. Morrow will miss the game to attend his grandmother's funeral.

MarShon Brooks (toe), Mehmet Okur (back) and DeShawn Stevenson (knee) are also out for the Nets.

Boozer scores 24 points, Bulls beat Nets 108-87

Posted Feb 06 2012 11:10PM

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Even without Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls were too much for the New Jersey Nets.

The reigning league MVP played less than 11 minutes in the first half of the Bulls' easy 108-87 win over the Nets on Monday night.

"I feel all right, just back spasms," Rose said. "It's nothing to worry about. Tomorrow we have a day off and I'll get treatment," Rose said. "I'll get a massage and hopefully I can play the next game."

Carlos Boozer scored 24 points for the Bulls, Luol Deng scored 19 points and C.J. Watson added 14 points and 10 assists in place of Rose.

"I thought C.J. Watson was terrific running the team - playing very good defense - and he did a lot of great things for us," Thibodeau said.

Chicago is 4-2 six games into a nine-game road trip that is the Bulls' longest of the season.

"The Bulls are an outstanding team and they just got going on us early," New Jersey coach Avery Johnson said. "They came out and were really focused. Teams like that have a mindset to come out and throw a knockout punch in the first quarter to set the tone. That's what they did. You have to give them a lot of credit for that.

"They built a substantial lead and it was hard for us to overcome that."

Deron Williams scored 25 points for the Nets, who only dressed nine players.

Starting shooting guard Anthony Morrow missed the game due to the death of his grandmother, while Brook Lopez, Damion James, Mehmet Okur, MarShon Brooks and DeShawn Stevenson were out with injuries.

"We don't have any post presence," Williams said. "We don't get that inside-out play. There is not a lot of easy looks out there. Trying to get free to find some shots and get people involved, it really is hectic."

Morrow is expected to return to the team for Wednesday's game against the Pistons.

Keith Bogans started in place of Morrow. The Nets signed Bogans last week. The ninth-year veteran played for the Bulls last season and averaged 4.4 points and 1.2 assists while starting in all 82 games.

With the game all but decided when the final quarter began, the announced 15,327 in attendance repeatedly chanted for Bulls power forward Brian Scalabrine, who played the first four years of his career in New Jersey.

He received a loud, sustained ovation when he checked in with 2:06 remaining, and when he made a jumper from the left corner.

NOTES: New Jersey wore its American Basketball Association blue jerseys for the first of the five Hardwood Classics Nights the organization has scheduled for this season. . Chicago guard Richard Hamilton missed his fifth straight game with a thigh injury. He did not make the trip to Newark because of "personal issue's he's taking care of," Thibodeau said.

Notebook: Bulls 108, Nets 87

Posted Monday February 6, 2012 10:54PM

By Jake Appleman, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: The Chicago Bulls crushed the shorthanded New Jersey Nets from start to finish at the Prudential Center, going up by as many as thirty-two points on multiple occasions in the third quarter. In a 108-87 victory, the Bulls' suffocating defenses wreaked havoc against an overmatched opponent and their balanced, efficient offense made sure the Nets wouldn't challenge.

The Bulls, led by Carlos Boozer's 24 points and excellent energy from C.J. Watson (14 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds) didn't even miss Derrick Rose, who was limited by foul trouble before being removed from the game with lower back spasms.

QUOTABLE: "Oh, the ball's moving. There's a lot of quick decisions being made; the extra passing, playing inside out. I love the way the ball's hopping. I thought we ran the floor well early in the game."
-- Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau, on his team's crisp offense

THE STAT: The Bulls hit six of their first seven 3-pointers, erasing any chance the Nets had of cutting into the early deficit.

TURNING POINT: The opening tip. The Bulls jumped out to a 9-2 lead, punctuated by a pretty all-Duke give-and-go between Boozer and Luol Deng (19 points, stifling defense). The 9-2 lead inflated to 27-10, as the Bulls sank eleven of their first twelve shots.

QUOTABLE II: "It's just something where I gotta get a massage and stretched the right way, and hopefully it'll be gone."
-- Rose, on his back spasms

QUOTABLE III: "They're fun to watch, except when you're on this end of it."
-- Nets point guard Deron Williams (25 points, 5 assists), on the Bulls

INSIDE THE ARENA: Plenty of red Bulls jerseys were visible in the crowd and Rose received a rousing ovation during pregame introductions. Bulls fans may have even outnumbered Nets fans in the Prudential Center...Comedian Jim Breuer attended the game...Late in the third quarter, a fan tried to run on to the court but was corralled by security...The crowd went berserk when former Net Brian Scalabrine checked in late in the fourth quarter and erupted when he canned a baseline jumper. When he took foul shots, many fans chanted "M.V.P."

ROOKIE WATCH: For the Nets, MarShon Brooks (broken toe, right foot) did not play. Jordan Williams (8 points, five rebounds) had a few nice moments, but was generally overmatched by the aggressive, swarming Bulls. The Bulls' Jimmy Butler played in garbage time and converted a layup in transition.

NOTABLE: The Nets wore stylish deep blue uniforms as it was the first of the team's Hardwood Classics nights. The Bulls wore home white jerseys despite playing on the road ...The Bulls collected four steals in the first quarter and finished the frame with 13 fast break points.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, Wednesday @ New Orleans, Friday @ Charlotte, Sunday @ Boston. For the Nets, Wednesday vs. Detroit, Friday @ Detroit, Saturday vs. San Antonio.

• Bulls: --
• Nets: James, Lopez, Stevenson

• Bulls: --
• Nets: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #12 Violet Palmer, #69 Ben Taylor
• Attendance: 15327
• Duration: 2:07