APRIL 9, 2018 | CS3 MEDIA NEWS
NEW YORK -The Nets defeated the Chicago Bulls 114-105 on Monday night at the Barclays Center. The Bulls tried to stay within striking distance, but the Net kept pressure on. Even though the Bulls out rebounded the Nets, they couldn’t convert it into points. The Bulls turnovers were a factor in their loss. The Bulls and the Nets are both in the rebuilding phase this year, but the Nets started to spark in the last month of the season. The Nets have won seven of 12 games since March 17 after dropping 18 of 21. However, The Bulls have lost their last three games; they could not get their stride this season but they show potential. Seven players for the Bulls scored in double figures. Former Net Sean Kilpatrick scored 16 points for the Bulls, Cameron Payne added 15 points, and Justin Holiday with 13. Rookie Lauri Markkanen added 10 points and six rebounds. Markkanen reached an impressive 500 boards this season, and he’s the first Bulls rookie since Elton Brand to eclipse the 1,000-point, 500-rebound mark. “I take a lot of pride. I basically try to do basically as much as I can in rebounding,” Markkanen said. “I think it feels pretty cool to accomplish that, but I’m not satisfied.” Brooklyn hit 18 3-pointers in its first game since falling one short of the NBA record with 24. For the Nets, Allen Crabbe scored a career-high of 41 points, and scored 20 of those in the first quarter. Also for the Nets, D’Angelo Russell added 21 points and 11 assists and Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points for the Nets.
“Things are maybe turning that corner that we wanted to get a little early in the season, but it’s better late than never,” said Crabbe. During his last three games, Crabbe has made 18 3-pointers and averaged 28. 7 points. “I shook his hand after the game and it was still hot, still cooking,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He’s really finishing the season the way we’re asking the team to finish, on a strong night.” The Nets led by 11 points in the third quarter before the Bulls cut the lead to three at the end of the quarter as Kilpatrick’s made a 3-pointer before the buzzer. In the fourth, Nets guard D’Angelo Russell scored and sparked a 6-0 run that extended the lead to defeat the Bulls. The Bulls finish the season at home on Wednesday night against Detroit, and the Nets conclude their season in Boston on Wednesday night.
