Preview: Bulls at Nets
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[October 31, 2016]
The Chicago Bulls are not taking
as long as expected to come together, but a stretch of 11 road games
in the next 14 looms to test the chemistry between Dwyane Wade,
Rajon Rondo, Jimmy Butler and company. The Bulls will kick off that
stretch by visiting the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
The Bulls already knocked off two teams with plans to contend with
the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Eastern Conference crown in the
Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers to kick off the season, and
all the new players seem to be buying into the team-first concept so
far. "Offensively we moved the ball exceptionally well," Wade told
reporters after a 118-101 win over the Pacers on Saturday. "It's
good to see this early in the season. We have the format to how we
need to play." The Nets have a home win over the Pacers on their
resume as well but dropped two games on the road already. Brooklyn
thought it had forced overtime in Milwaukee on Saturday before a
last-second tip left it with a 110-108 loss.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV, CSN Chicago, YES (New York)
ABOUT THE BULLS (2-0): Chicago was able to fly under the radar a bit
in its own city during the first week of the regular season thanks
to the Cubs being in the World Series for the first time since 1945,
but the fans that stayed on the south side of town and went to the
Bulls game on Saturday night saw a team filled with high-priced
stars that let reserve forward Doug McDermott take the most shots.
McDermott, who had his fourth-year contract option picked up by the
team on Friday, buried 5-of-6 from 3-point range en route to a
team-high 23 points in the win over Indiana. The strong effort from
the bench allowed the starters to rest a bit more, with Butler's 26
minutes ranking as the most among the starting five.
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ABOUT THE NETS (1-2): Brooklyn gave one of its key players a little
extra rest on Saturday as well by not even taking center Brook Lopez
on the trip for the second night of the back-to-back. The decision
was an organizational one aimed at keeping Lopez healthy throughout
the season, and the Nets plan to give several players planned days
off throughout the season. "We just take kind of a holistic approach
to each player and their development and playing time,” coach Kenny
Atkinson told Newsday. "I’m sure in the future you will have
questions about some other guys on our team. We’re all on board.
Again, we want peak performance for the long-term."
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BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nets G Greivis Vasquez (ankle) left Saturday's game and is
day-to-day.
2. Rondo is 3-of-14 from the field in the first two games but
totaled 22 assists.
3. Chicago took five of the last seven in the series, including its
last three trips to Brooklyn.
PREDICTION: Bulls 101, Nets 99
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