Bulls 92, Nets 76 Kent McDill Posted Thu Feb 13, 2014 11:36 PM - Updated Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:40 AM THE FACT: For the second straight game, the Bulls shot at least 50 percent from the field (35-for-70 Thursday). The Bulls have only shot 50 percent from the field eight times this season, and have won all eight times. THE LEAD: Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer recorded double-doubles and Taj Gibson led the team with 16 points as the host Bulls scored a relatively easy 92-76 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. Noah finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Boozer had 15 points and 10 rebounds in his first game back after missing three games with a strained calf. Paul Pierce led the Nets with 15 points. The Bulls have beaten the Nets four straight games in the regular season. The Bulls, playing in their first game home after a six-game road trip out west, took the lead six minutes into the game and never looked back, leading by as many as 12 points in the first quarter and 14 in the second quarter. The Bulls have won four of their last five games. QUOTABLE: We have to look at our team in totality. For us to achieve, we need Carlos to play well. With our depth up front, we have three starters and they all have to sacrifice. -- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau on whether Gibson should start ahead of Boozer THE STAT: After doubling up the Atlanta Hawks on the boards 57-28 in their game on Tuesday, the Bulls outrebounded the Nets 45-27. Five Bulls pulled down at least five rebounds. TURNING POINT: The Nets made a fourth-quarter run, getting the deficit down to 75-72 with 6:29 left ,but the Bulls scored the next nine points, getting baskets from four different players, to return the lead to double digits. INJURY UPDATE: Boozer returned from his calf strain, so the injury-plagued Bulls currently have only Derrick Rose sitting on the sideline. HOT: Noah, who had his fourth career triple-double Tuesday, was just three assists shy of having back-to-back triple-doubles. After averaging 22 points as Boozers replacement for three games, Gibson had 16 points coming off the bench and played three more minutes than Boozer. NOT: Deron Williams and Joe Johnson were equally inept, going 4-for-14 from the field and missing six 3-pointers between them. QUOTABLE II: We need to play better defense when Kevin [Garnett] comes out of the game. We sustain when he is in there, but he cant play 34 minutes. -- Paul Pierce BATTLING BASKETBALL: In the third quarter, Johnson elbowed Bulls guard Jimmy Butler, who responded with some words for Johnson after a foul call. With players separating the two, Johnson reached out and poked Butler in the forehead, and both players got technical fouls. QUOTABLE III: I dont say much so if Im mad you must have really done something to get underneath my skin. He poked me in the head, then backed backward. I dont think he wanted any of that. -- Jimmy Butler on his confrontation with Johnson BAD MOVE: Shaun Livingston scored the first seven points of the game for the Nets, driving past Mike Dunleavy twice for a pair of and ones in the process, but scored only three more points the rest of the game and had only three more shots after the first two minutes of the game. INSIDE THE ARENA: Bulls cornerback Charles Tillman, the NFLs Walter Payton Man of the Year, received a huge ovation when he was shown on the big screen. ROOKIE WATCH: Brooklyn rookie Mason Plumlee played almost nine minutes but made just one free throw and grabbed five rebounds, which almost led the team. NOTABLE: Pierce is averaging 9.0 points and shooting 21.6 percent (8-for-37) in last three games against Bulls.... D.J. Augustin, signed by the Bulls on Dec. 13, has worked his way up into the leagues top free-throw shooters, ranked third before the game at 88.4 percent... Brooklyns Andrei Kirilenko made his first 3-pointer of the season, on his second attempt, in his 22nd game. UP NEXT: For the Bulls, Wednesday @ Toronto, Friday vs. Denver, Sunday @ Miami. For the Nets, Wednesday @ Utah, Saturday @ Golden State, Sunday @ L.A. Lakers.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 19:20:47 +0000
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