Tonight: The 27-19 Brooklyn Nets host the 28-17 Chicago Bulls, at 7:30 P.M. EST tonight in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. The Bulls have rolled despite not having Derrick Rose all season, ranking 1st in the Central Division. They’re 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Nets have stumbled slightly after a rocket start under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo, losing three of their last four by an average of 19 points per loss.
Watch & Listen: Tonight’s game is broadcast on YES Network. Ian Eagle and Greg Anthony are on the call. The game is radio simulcast on WFAN, and in Spanish on WADO.
More on tonight’s game, including injuries and stats, after the jump.
Last time: The Nets gave up a late lead with costly turnovers and the Bulls hit three consecutive layups to steal a one-point heartbreaker, 83-82. Deron Williams finished with 24 points and five assists and Brook Lopez put up a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but the Nets lacked other contributors and shot just 38.7% as a team.
Out: For the Nets, only Tornike Shengelia, recently recalled from the Springfield Armor, is out indefinitely with a mild concussion (again, no concussion is “mild”). For the Bulls, starting point guard Kirk Hinrich (elbow) and starting center/defensive anchor Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis) are both out. Carlos Boozer is questionable (hamstring). Derrick Rose is out indefinitely after tearing his ACL in last year’s playoffs. He will not start.
Probable Starters:
Chicago Bulls: Nate Robinson, Richard Hamilton, Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, Nazr Mohammad (1 minute, +/- -200.0 per 100 possessions)
Brooklyn Nets: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Reggie Evans, Brook Lopez (232 minutes, +/- +2.9 per 100 possessions)
Advanced Statistics:
Orlando Magic: 100.5 offensive rating (20th), 97.5 defensive rating (2nd), 92.33 possessions per game (26h)
Brooklyn Nets: 104.4 offensive rating (9th), 103.7 defensive rating (20th), 90.52 possessions per game (30th)
You read that right: With Noah and Robinson both out and Boozer out of the lineup, the Bulls will start Nazr Mohammad, Nate Robinson, and Taj Gibson in their respective places, a lineup that has only played together for one — yes, one — minute all season. This is the second time this week the Nets are catching the good side of the injury bug; the Orlando Magic also had injury issues Monday night that caused them to start a lineup that had only played two minutes together all season.
Welcome home: Brooklyn native and Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson plays his first professional game in Brooklyn tonight.
Go Nets!
AP
