Bulls even with Nets
CARLOS BOOZER had 13 points and 12 rebounds, Joakim Noah gutted his way through a foot injury to make three fourth-quarter baskets, and the visiting Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets, 90-82, on Monday night to even their first-round series at one game apiece.
CARLOS BOOZER had 13 points and 12 rebounds, Joakim Noah gutted his way through a foot injury to make three fourth-quarter baskets, and the visiting Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets, 90-82, on Monday night to even their first-round series at one game apiece.
Luol Deng bounced back from a poor opener with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who became the first team to win a road game this postseason.
Chicago held the Nets to two baskets in the third quarter to build a big enough lead to hold off a charge in the fourth.
Noah finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who host Game 3 on Thursday.
Brook Lopez scored 21 points for the Nets, who shot 35 percent from the field and were just 4-for-21 from three-point range. Star point guard Deron Williams was 1-for-9, finishing with eight points.
Noteworthy *
The Knicks' J.R. Smith won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award, getting 484 points, including 72 first-place votes, from a panel of 121 writers and broadcasters. The Clippers' Jamal Crawford finished second with 352 points, getting 31 first-place votes.
* Mike Brown appears to be the leading candidate to replace Byron Scott and return to Cleveland, where he coached five seasons and went to the playoffs every year before he was fired in 2010 by owner Dan Gilbert. There are reports Gilbert intends to reach out to Phil Jackson to gauge his interest in coaching the Cavs.
* The Phoenix Suns parted ways with general manager Lance Blanks after a season during which the team posted the second-worst record in franchise history.