After being down by as many as 15 points in the first half, the Chicago Bulls gave the fans at the United Center a show to remember after notching a 113-104 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday night.
After being down by as many as 15 points in the first half, the Chicago Bulls gave the fans at the United Center a show to remember after notching a 113-104 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday night.
The Bulls got off to a sluggish start, shooting a horrific 38 percent from the field as a team and was outscored 14-4 in the low-post, giving up a total of 31 points in the first quarter.
“We had to fight,” Bulls forward Drew Gooden said after falling behind 15 points.
“We needed more energy from the guys that was out there and those who were coming off the bench,” Gooden said. “Once we changed the energy level and the tempo of the game, it got contagious.”
Gooden’s words would hold true, as Larry Hughes and Tyrus Thomas would connect on three alley-oop dunk plays that brought the United Center fans to their feet.
“The communication was there,” Thomas said about the plays. “I was able to run the floor and get a lot of easy baskets and dunks.”
Thomas would finish with 16 points, five rebounds, two blocked shots and three amazing alley-oop dunks.
“We got some great performances, especially off the bench from Tyrus and Joakim (Noah),” Bulls coach Del Negro said. “The young guys came in and did a tremendous job. Their energy, length and young legs … when they have games like this, there’s no question they’re difference-makers.”
The Bulls would rally from deficits of 15 points in the first quarter and seven points early in the fourth, finishing with six players in double figures, including Derrick Rose, who scored nine of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and Ben Gordon with a team high 29 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the three point arc.
Joakim Noah led the Bulls with eight rebounds and had three of their season high 13 blocked shots. Nets’ guard Vince Carter led all scorers with a game high 38 points, after suffering the night before with a 0-for-13 output in New Jersey.
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