NETS PLAYOFF GAMENIGHT #Nets @ #Bulls – GAME 7

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Updated: May 4, 2013

2013 NBA PLAYOFFS Round 1

Brooklyn Nets (3-3) @ Chicago Bulls (3-3)

Barclays Center 8:00

TV:TNT/YES RADIO: ESPN 98.7FM/WFAN 66AM

The Nets never hosted a Game 7 during their 35 year tenure in New Jersey, dropping the only one they ever reached at Detroit in 2004. Things changed in Brooklyn as they get one right away in their first season in their new home. The Nets have fought back from a deep 3-1 deficit in this series to push it to the ultimate Game 7 scenario.

Win or Go Home

Bulls Nets Seven games pic

The Nets cannot have a letdown and relax after climbing out of the 3-1 hole they put themselves in so it will be imperative that they don’t take the Bulls for granted and come out with fire and passion early. The way they have scrapped back to make this a series is going to good for this new team and help them build that championship metal that some of the other teams have from playing a few years together.

This has been a crazy up and down season filled with inconsistency upon inconsistency. After all the struggles and high and lows these Brooklyn Nets have the opportunity to win a first round series against a formidable opponent in their first year together.

P.J. Carlesimo has done an admirable job to date with what he has been dealt although is rotations can sometimes leave something to be desired. If Carlesimo can understand what matchups have worked in this series as of late and continue to use them the Nets will likely win this game and move on.

[quote_simple]”The reward for the way we played in the regular season is that this Game 7 in the first round is in our building. So I’m just PJ Carlesimo clappingvery confident our guys are going to take advantage of the opportunity and continue to do what they’ve done all year,” Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo said Friday.”

“If you start thinking about the next series, you’re not going to be in the next series, so I think that what’s served us well so far is taking it a day at a time, if we don’t manufacture the same kind of desperation, the same kind of energy to match or exceed Chicago’s energy, than we’re not going to have to worry about who’s next.”[/quote_simple]

Deron Williams will have to do much more in this game than he has late in the previous games in this series as he had faltered late and been somewhat invisible for long stretches of time.

Brook Lopez has been a force in this series and one more big game is needed from him to finish the job. He is averaging 24 points per game to go with 3.4 blocks per game and his presence has been felt in the paint all series long. Joe Johnson had a strong game in Game 6 while “being a decoy” and playing on one leg as he so eloquently put it. Another big shooting game will be much need from Johnson for the Nets to be victorious.

The Chicago Bulls are playing on heart at this point with all of the injuries and illnesses they have had to overcome but no one in Brooklyn is going to care tonight what the Bulls are dealing with. Luol Deng will likely be in Brooklyn after he did not fly with the team yesterday because of a serious illness he has been fighting. He will be in Brooklyn for the game although he will be a gametime decision as well as Taj Gibson and the oft-injured Kirk Hinrich. Hinrich has less of a chance to play with the calf injury that kept him out of the last game but a Game 7 could change that quickly.

Only eight teams in NBA history of the 210 down 3-1 in a best-of-seven playoff series have come back to win. Nets could be No. 9. The Chicago Bulls are 3-0 in franchise history at home in Game 7s but 0-6 on the road in Game 7′s.

Five Nets have prior Game 7 experience: Joe Johnson (2-1), Jerry Stackhouse (2-1), Deron Williams (1-0), Gerald Wallace (0-3),and Reggie Evans (1-0).

The winner opens the second round Monday in Miami against the World Champion Heat.

SERIES 3-3

4/20 – CHI 89 @ BKN 106

4/22 – CHI 90@ BKN 82

4/25 – BKN 76 @ CHI 79

4/27 – BKN 134 @ CHI 142 3OT

4/29 – CHI 91 @ BKN 110

5/2 – BKN 95 @ CHI 92

STAT FOR TONIGHT: This is the first home Game 7 in franchise history (5/20/04 at DET was the only other Game 7). Chicago is 0-6 all-time in road Game 7’s. The Nets could become the ninth team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit to win the series.

INJURIES:

Nets:

None

Bulls:

Derrick Rose (left knee) is OUT

Kirk Hinrich (left calf) is game-time decision

Luol Deng (illness) is game-time decision

Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis – right foot) is day-to-day

Taj Gibson (illness) is game-time decision
via @octoberGR8NESS @CKCash30

via @octoberGR8NESS @CKCash30

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