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Bulls Sink Even Lower With Home Loss To Nets
(Sports Network) - Devin Harris scored 17 points and his go-ahead bucket with 14.9 seconds left in regulation helped New Jersey pull out a 103-101 decision over the struggling Bulls.
Brook Lopez ended with 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Chris Douglas-Roberts tallied 20 for the Nets, who have won two of three since losing an NBA-record 18 straight to start the season.
Rafer Alston added 15 points, including the game-sealing free throws in the waning seconds for New Jersey, which had lost 18 straight on the road dating back to last season.
Derrick Rose paced Chicago with 27 points, 10 assists and seven boards, but it wasn't enough to stop the club from losing its eighth game in nine tries. Luol Deng also went for 27 points with nine boards, while Taj Gibson scored 20 in a losing effort.
The Nets built an 80-70 heading to the fourth but found themselves in a tie game thanks to Chicago’s 12-2 quarter-opening run.
Harris broke an 88-all tie with a three at the 4:26 mark. It was still a three-point game before Rose scored five straight, with his three giving Chicago its first lead, 94-93, since the opening frame.
The visitors answered with a 6-0 run, capped by Courtney Lee's circus-shot in transition for a 99-94 lead with under two minutes to go.
Gibson and Deng hit four consecutive free throws for Chicago to pull within one. Harris’ three-pointer as the shot clock was winding down was off the mark, and the Bulls regained possession with 27.3 seconds on the clock.
Rose and Harris exchanged similar runners in the lane with the latter giving the Nets a 101-100 lead with 14.9 ticks showing.
John Salmons' straightaway three was short, and Alston made it a three-point game with two free throws with 6.3 seconds remaining. Rather than give up a potential tying three, Harris fouled Rose.
Rose missed the first freebie and intentionally missed the second, and the Nets were able to knock the rebound away to preserve the win.
New Jersey held a slim 26-24 lead after the first, and it was all tied at 54 at halftime thanks to Deng’s late three-pointer from the left corner.
Consecutive turnovers early in the third led to layups from Douglas-Roberts, highlighting the Nets’ 10-0 run to start the frame.
The Bulls took three of four meetings from New Jersey last season...Lee ended with 12 points for the Nets, who made 24-of-28 from the foul line, compared to the Bulls’ subpar 15-of-23 effort...Salmons scored 12 points for the Bulls.
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