Nets Pound Bulls 96-82 in Chicago

The Chicago Bulls escaped Monday night in Indiana.  They did not do so last night at home vs. the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn, behind Brook Lopez's stellar night, hit for 29 points to lead the Nets over a tired looking Bulls team.

The game changed in the second frame when Bulls' G Aaron Brooks was ejected with two technical fouls.  The Nets found Lopez for easy shots and he delivered time and time again.  Joe Johnson also scored 20 points in the winning effort.

Brooklyn won convincingly 96-82, and this was perhaps their finest road effort of the season.  The final score does not indicate how dominant the Nets were.  Chicago just didn't have it.  They scored only 14 points in the 2nd quarter and 13 in the 4th quarter. The Bulls shot a poor 38.4% from the floor and 8-15 attempts from the free-throw line. That might be the epitome of offensive ineptitude.  A team rarely wins getting just 15 FT attempts and making barely half of them.

Mike Dunleavy was not off tonight and led Chicago with 23 points. If not for his good night, this could have been a shocker.  The Bulls were never in this game even in the second quarter.  They trailed by ten at half, 55-45, but could not climb back into it. Lopez kept finding the hoop with hooks, 12 footers, or bank shots.

It was his best night of the season and a tough one for the Bulls.  Sometimes having a 7 game win streak is bound to catch up with you.  It did Tuesday night for Chicago.