Chicago Bulls (40-33) @ Brooklyn Nets (43-31)

Barclays Center 7:00

TV: TNT – RADIO: Bloomberg 1130AM

The Brooklyn Nets are finally coming home.  It seemed like months ago when we last saw the ball go up at the Barclays Center. Tonight the road warriors that won five games on a road trip for the first time in franchise history at 5-3 will get to feel the comforts of home and family.  Well deserved for a team that is changing Nets history in their first year together.

The Nets blew out the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-95 in a game where they were up by 30 points at halftime. They played well enough to allow the starters to sit the entire fourth quarter and get some rest with tonigh’ts back to back with the Bulls at home.

MarShon Brooks had a career night starting for the injured Joe Johnson.  He went off from the beginning and had 18 first half points going 9-for-9 from the field and threw in four assists too.  He ended with 27 career high points to go with Deron Williams 24 and eight assists.

[blockquote]”I would have taken a (one-point win), no questions asked when the game started,” interim coach P.J. Carlesimo said. “To get a win where we were able to rest guys, you probably couldn’t have written a better script.”[/blockquote]

Chicago is decimated with injuries right now and it is very much in the air as to who will suit up tonight in Brooklyn.  Road woes lately and injury problems have dropped them back to the sixth seed only two and a half games behind the fourth seeded Nets.  Very important game tonight for Brooklyn to stay in the top four in the East.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME: Reggie Evans vs Carlos Boozer

Reggie Evans has made a miraculous turn in his game in the last month and has been putting up incredible rebounding numbers to go with so offense too.  Yes – I said offense too.  Evans has changed his ways since he was snubbed by a teammate about his lack of finishing in the paint.  He is becoming a weapon for Brooklyn inside now as teams dont expect him to score from prior years and even earlier this year.  Evans will do his best to manhandle Carlos Boozer from the start and set a physical tone.

STAT FOR TONIGHT: Reggie Evans is the only player in the NBA this season to record seven 20 plus rebound games.

Nets:

Joe Johnson (right thigh contusion) is a game-time decision

Gerald Wallace (sore left foot) is a game-time decision

Bulls: