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Nets snap 5-game skid and blow by Bulls in Windy City, 105-102

By Anthony Puccio
Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

THE NETS ARE SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED.

It felt like they'd never win again, but they did, and finally snapped a five-game losing skid with a 105 -102 victory over the Bulls in Chicago. It also snapped an eight-game losing streak on the road.

The Nets and Bulls exchanged buckets throughout the first half. In most cases this season, you'd follow up that sentence with, "but then the third quarter happened."

It happened and it was the game-changer for the Nets.

The Bulls missed 14 straight shots and the Nets went on an 11-0 run, extending a three-point halftime lead up to 12. They scored just as many points (85) through three quarters as they did all of Sunday night vs. the Timberwolves.

Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young gave Chicago's big men nightmares. Lopez had a double-double after three quarters and finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Meanwhile, Thaddeus Young finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds, his 14th double-double of the season

Joakim Noah, one of the top big defenders in the league, left the game late in the third quarter after getting his arm caught under Andrea Bargnani. The Nets took advantage with 44 points in the paint.

Brooklyn's big man rotation of Lopez, Young, Bargnani & Reed combined for 56 points and 35 rebounds.

The Bulls cut the deficit down to four with a little over a minute remaining. It looked like a typical Nets meltdown. You know, the meltdowns where Jarrett Jack starts isolating and taking mid-range contested jumpers out of timeouts? That type.

Still, they barely held on as Jack (ironically) put Brooklyn up four and Brook Lopez blocked Jimmy Butler's three-pointer with five seconds left.

The Nets nailed seven three-pointers and dished out 26 assists. The Bulls nailed nine threes and dished out 32 assists, even with Derrick Rose struggling throughout the night.

Rose shot just 3-of-11 on the night and scored eight points. Jimmy Butler led the way with 24 points, but was held in check when it mattered most with five points in the fourth quarter.

The Nets bench was wonderful all night. The backup unit composed of four players combined for 38 points, as Wayne Ellington led the unit with 13 points and three three-pointers. Willie Reed immediately made an impact on the defensive end, and eventually let his offensive game come to him with 11 points & five rebounds in 13 minutes. Andrea Bargnani chipped in eight and Donald Sloan chipped in six. Sloan also dished out six assists and provided some solid energy with Jarrett Jack quiet all night.

When everybody plays their role, the Nets play like this and knock off some pretty solid teams. Unfortunately we've only seen it happen eight times this year. But for now, let's enjoy this one.

Next up: The return of Deron Williams and the Dallas Mavericks, Wednesday at Barclays Center.

For more on the Chicago Bulls, check them out at Blog a Bull.

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