Nets Win and Force Game 7 Against Bulls

sports.yahoo.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 2nd, 2013

Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls Game 6

Final Score: Nets 95 Bulls 92

The Brooklyn Nets were able to win their first game in Chicago this season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time than with their backs against the wall facing elimination in the playoffs. The win moves the series back to Brooklyn for a win or go home Game 7 on Saturday night, in what should be a great game at the Barclays Center.

Positives:

- The Nets on offense were surprisingly well balanced, with five players including four starters scoring more than 15 points, which is something that hasn’t happened much at all this season. Deron Williams with Kirk Hinrich missing the game with a calf injury was able to notch his 22nd postseason double-double. Williams finished with 17 points on five for 12 shooting, and dished out 11 assists. The three-point shot wasn’t great for Williams in this one however, as he went just one for four from deep.



- Joe Johnson, who before the game said he’s just a decoy on offense due to his injured heel looked healthy, and a lot better than just a decoy on the court in the win. Johnson finished the game scoring 17 points on seven for 13 shooting, as he was the most efficient shooter of the Nets “Big 3”.

- Gerald Wallace has had a rough regular season, but his last two games have been big parts of why the Nets are back in the series. Wallace finished up Game 6 despite early foul trouble with 15 points on five for 12 shooting, which included his second straight game of going two for four from three-point line. He also added three rebounds and three assists; a Wallace thrived with Luol Deng being out.

- Brooklyn’s bench was again very good in this one outplaying the Bulls depleted bench, which had their normal bench players being forced to start due to illness and injuries. Andray Blatche came up huge for Brooklyn down the stretch, as he finished with 10 points on three for eight shooting, with seven rebounds. C.J. Watson also had a good game off the bench, as he scored nine points on four for eight shooting. If the Bulls are forced to keep playing normal backups in the starting lineup it gives the Nets bench a great opportunity to have good games.

Negatives:

- Brook Lopez has been the Nets best player in his first postseason appearance, but Game 6 was a tough one for the All-Star Center. For the first time in the series Lopez was held to under 20 points, and a lot of that had to do with Lopez shooting a poor percentage. Lopez finished with 17 points on seven for 18 shooting, and he only had three rebounds something that he really was doing well prior to this game.

- The common theme for the Nets this season has been their poor play in the third quarter, and that is exactly what happened in Game 6. The Nets were only able to score 15 points in the third quarter, as they went on a stretch of missing 12 straight field goals during a seven minute stretch. In the third quarter the Nets shot just four for 19, but luckily the Bulls only outscored them by two points in the quarter.

- Free throw shooting was also a major issue for Brooklyn in this one, as their ineffectiveness at the free-throw line let the Bulls hang around. They shot just 22 of 33 from the line, which is 66.7%, and an area that needs to improve in Game 7.