The Nets begin a unique back-to-back in Chicago Friday. They'll play the Bulls on the last day of 2010, then fly to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on New Years Day, 2011. (We like to think of it as the first "Contraction Bowl.") What did the Nets do to the NBA schedule makers to deserve this?
The Bulls are hot. They've won 11 of their last 13 and are now 20-10 under Coach Tom Thibodeau. Carlos Boozer is leading the charge, with ever increasing intensity. In case you've forgotten, the Nets bid $75 million for his services, only to be outbid by $5 million over five years. So instead the team spent $71.6 million on Travis Outlaw, Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro, Joe Smith, Stephen Graham and Ben Uzoh.
Beyond Boozer, of course, the Bulls have Derrick Rose, who has added a deadly three point shot to his repertoire, and has to be considered among the NBA's top PG's. For the Nets the big problem is not so much the losing, but the losing attitude 12-70 brings. The Nets will be without Morrow again. Although the Nets haven't put a timetable on his return, Ian Eagle suggested Wednesday night that it's looking like another three to four weeks.
- 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 Xchagne
- Nets-Bulls Preview - Stats LLC
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Avery Johnson, Nets trying to shake 'loser' mentality - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
- Avery: Future bright for Nets - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Last season still haunts Nets - Al Iannazzone - The Record
- Nets up next: Bulls - Al Iannazzone - The Record
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Countdown of Nets' biggest stories of 2010 - Al Iannazzone - The Nets Insider
- For Nets, Belief is Losing Battle - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
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Avery Johnson has still got it, and the Nets defense still sucks - NBC Sports
- Rose's defensive improvement obvious - Nick Friedell - ESPN Chicago
- Nets visit the Bulls at the United Center for a NYE matinee - Shams Charania - Chicago Now
- In Joakim Noah's absence, Chicago Bulls much keep up the pace - K.C. Johnson - Chicago Tribune
- Pick-and-roll gives Bulls some rhythm - John Jackson - Chicago Sun-Times
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Bulls stay the course at 2-guard - John Jackson - Chicago Sun-Times