Having won two straight games, and in the midst of a six-game homestand, few people would have expected the Chicago Bulls to come out so flat against the New Jersey Nets. However, the Bulls trailed by double-digits in the first quarter and were never able to rally in the 97-85 loss.
Carlos Boozer delivered a strong performance in the paint, scoring 16 points and pulling down nine rebounds. However, Joakim Noah was nearly invisible on the court, as he was held scoreless and grabbed only six boards in the loss. In the absence of Derrick Rose, Mike James came off the bench to score 16 points and dish out a team-high seven assists before fouling out.
Despite struggling with his shot, Deron Williams made a big impact on the game. Williams scored a game-high 28 points and dished out a game-high eight assists to lead New Jersey to the impressive win. Kris Humphries completely dominated the paint, scoring 24 points on 10/15 shooting and pulling down a game-high 18 rebounds for the double-double. Marshon Brooks chipped in 19 points for the Nets.
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