The Nets, who couldn't stop Jeremy Lin on Saturday, face a somewhat better point guard in Derrick Rose on Monday when the Bulls come to Newark for their only appearance in New Jersey this season. The reigning MVP is averaging 23.6 points, 8.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds and will be the starting point guard on the East All-Stars.

The Bulls position atop the East and in the power rankings has been achieved without a soft schedule. Chicago in fact has played one more road game than the Nets and are 11-5 away from United Center. And if Rose wasn't enough, the Bulls front court of Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng are all playing well. Richard Hamilton (thigh) is out.

For the Nets, it will be the first of four games in six days, three of them at home. After Saturday's game vs. San Antonio, the team will have three whole days off. Anthony Morrow will join the inactive rolls Monday to attend his grandmother's funeral. Keith Bogans, who started 98 games for the Bulls last season, will replace him at SG. The Nets announced that none of the injured Nets will be back this week. Only nine players will be in uniform Monday. Speaking of uniforms, those nine will dress in their retro "New York Nets" uniforms vs. Chicago.

• New Jersey Nets Game Notes - New Jersey Nets
• Chicago Bulls Game Notes - Chicago Bulls
• Getting Inside - New Jersey Nets - Sports Xchange
• Getting Inside - Chicago Bulls - Sports Xchange
• Bulls-Nets Preview - Matt Becker - Stats LLC
  
• Bulls’ Rose next thorny issue for undermanned Nets - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• Morrow lobbying for an invite to 3-point contest - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
  
• Nets could see Lopez return soon as they try to improve record - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger