CHICAGO - Impressive wins have been rare for the Brooklyn Nets this season, but Brook Lopez believes the team can (and should) have more performances like Tuesday night.I think weve been capable of putting together an effort like this throughout the year, he said. We just havent really sustained it the entire game and we did tonight. We can be a lot better than this.Lopez had a season-high 29 points, Joe Johnson had 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Nets to a 96-82 victory, snapping the Chicago Bulls seven-game winning streak.Brooklyn (15-16) had just one previous win this season against a team with a winning record, a 95-93 overtime win against San Antonio on Dec. 3.Tonight we committed to help each other, Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins said. Its been our game plan. We have just gotten better at doing it.Mike Dunleavy led the Bulls (22-10) with 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting, including 5 for 9 on 3-pointers.Jimmy Butler, who averaged 26.4 points during the winning streak, had just eight points. Derrick Rose had just four on 2-for-15 shooting.During their seven-game streak, the Bulls had averaged 106.6 points on 45.4 per cent shooting. But after a 31-point first quarter, they struggled to score the rest of the game.I mean, this was the first game that it was like this, Rose said of the Bulls poor shooting. Usually, its me by myself missing shots and everyone else making shots.Rose is just 7 for 35 from the field in back-to-back games the previous two nights. Its just two games, he said. Im not going to stop shooting.The Nets would like to think they played a large role in the Bulls offensive woes.The biggest thing was holding them to one shot, Mason Plumlee said. Our initial defence has been pretty good at times this season, but weve given up too many second shots.The Nets also put pressure on the Bulls on the offensive end with Lopez, playing in just his fifth game since returning from a lower back strain, going 13 for 21 from the field. Johnson was 8 for 14 from the field and recorded his first points-rounds double-double in six years.The Nets took control in the second quarter and had a 55-45 halftime lead. After the Bulls pulled within five early in the third, Brooklyn reclaimed command and had an 84-69 lead heading into the fourth.It was the way the team played, Lopez said. We played together, we moved the ball well, we shared it and, most importantly, from the second quarter on we made our living defensively, getting stops and limiting, for the most part, them to one shot.____TIP INS:Nets: Kevin Garnett was held out after playing 21 minutes Monday night against Sacramento in Brooklyn. Lopez started in Garnetts spot. He played 33 minutes after not totally more than 15 in the previous four games.Bulls: Kirk Hinrich (left hamstring) missed his fifth straight game. He still is listed as day-to-day and there is no target date for his return.EJECTEDBulls guard Aaron Brooks was ejected in the second quarter after picking up two quick technical fouls. With the players heading toward the bench following a timeout with 9:42 remaining in the first half, Brooks picked up the first technical from official David Guthrie for bouncing the ball hard back onto the court.At that point, Brooks turned and said something to Guthrie. The official then called the second technical, resulting in the automatic ejection.It was very surprising to me, Brooks said. There was a lot of yelling going on during the game, and the person who wasnt yelling got a technical. That made no sense to me, so whatever . . .HOME IMPROVEMENT:The Bulls also had a five-game home winning streak snapped and are just 8-6 at the United Center after beginning the season. Tuesdays game began a stretch of eight of nine games at home — the lone road game is Jan. 9 at Washington — so the Bulls can start another streak if they correct their home-court problems.UP NEXT:The Nets are at Orlando on Friday.The Bulls host the Denver Nuggets on New Years Day. . 4 jersey of former defenseman Rob Blake this coming season. The ceremony will take place prior to the Kings January 17 game against Anaheim. .Patterson marked his anniversary by proving his worth — once again.Lou Williams poured in 26 points, and Patterson drained two huge three-pointers late in the fourth quarter, as the Raptors topped the Denver Nuggets 112-107 in overtime Monday.
http://www.cheapauburnjerseys.com/. The union filed a grievance late Thursday, one day after Goodell suspended four players who participated in bounties from 2009-11. The complaint says Goodell is prohibited from punishing players for any aspect of the case occurring before the new collective bargaining agreement was signed last August. . The Professional Referee Organization, which manages game officials for the U.S. Soccer Federation and MLS, notified the Professional Soccer Referee Association of the lockout and said replacement officials will be used. . - Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying.The Montreal Canadiens will try to get back in the Eastern Conference Final series with the New York Rangers when the two collide in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden this evening. Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 690 at 8pm et/5pm pt and watch live coverage of the post-game news conferences on TSN.ca. The Canadiens, who are without the services of No. 1 goaltender Carey Price, will have 24-year-old Dustin Tokarski between the pipes again tonight with Peter Budaj serving as the backup. Tokarski performed admirably in his postseason debut on Monday, but it wasnt enough to prevent Montreal from falling behind two games to none. Henrik Lundqvist outdueled the Canadiens netminder, making 40 saves to anchor New York to its fifth consecutive victory. Tokarski, who had played in three games earlier in the season, allowed all three goals on 30 shots in his first taste of NHL playoff action. "We looked at his record. Tokarski is a winner and we know that from his past record. I thought he played very well tonight," said Montreal head coach Michel Therrien. "I liked our team effort, which was great tonight. We were engaged. But the reason we lost tonight was Lundqvist, he stole the game tonight. We had lots of chances to score but Lundqvist made key saves." Tokarski became the first goaltender to make his playoff debut in the Conference Final or later since the NHL expanded to a four-round postseason format in 1975. Price is out for the remainder of the Conference Final due to a lower-body injury suffered in Game 1. Forward Thomas Vanek, who has no points, one shot and a minus-3 rating, took turns skating on the fourth line during practice Wednesday. Therrien told reporters not to read into it, as it all could change again ahead of Game 3. Max Pacioretty scored for Montreal at 6:14 of the first period, but McDonagh answered with his tally just 17 seconds later. The Canadiens put a ton of pressure on New York in the opening 20 minutes, but Lundqvist stopped 13-of-14 shots in the period and Nash would score late in the stanza to give the Rangers the lead for good. "Hes the only reason we were still in the game because they had tremendous push," said New York head coach Alain Vigneault about Lundqvist. Montreal was 0-for-4 on the man advantage and has failed to score over seven chances in the first two games. The Rangers went 1-for-3 on the power play and are 4-for-10 in the series. "We had a number of opportunities to put ourselves in a good position, but they were optimistic and capitalized on their opportunities," said Habs defenseman P.K. Subban. "The difference is, we didnt. Were getting pucks to the net, but not getting the bounces right now. We have to stick with it, because sooner or later the pucks will ggo in for us.dddddddddddd" New York played without forward Derick Brassard, who suffered an injury early in Game 1 and was replaced in the lineup by Daniel Carcillo on Monday. He skated Wednesday and Vigneault said hes is day-to-day. "It was good to get back out there with my teammates," Brassard said Wednesday. "I havent talked to the medical staff, well see whats going to happen." Vigneault also said winger Benoit Pouliot "is good" for tonight after taking a maintenance day on Wednesday. New York is 10-2 all-time when winning the first two games of a seven-game playoff series, including a 4-1 mark when claiming the first two tests on the road. New York is 5-0 since falling behind 3-1 in its semifinal set against Pittsburgh. Mondays win improved the Rangers to 6-3 on the road in these playoffs, marking the first time the Blueshirts have won six away games in one postseason since they last won the Stanley Cup in 1994. The Rangers, however, are just 4-3 on home ice in the playoffs. The Habs are 4-2 as the guest. Tonights tilt is the first of two straight at the Garden, as the clubs are set to meet Sunday in Manhattan for Game 4. Ryan McDonagh posted a goal and an assist in Mondays win, while Martin St. Louis and Rick Nash also scored for the Rangers. Derek Stepan added two assists in the victory. McDonagh has six points (2G, 4A) in the first two games of this series. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, McDonagh is the first Rangers defenseman to record six points in a two-game span in the postseason since Brian Leetch in 1995. Leetch registered three points in consecutive games in New Yorks opening round series against the Quebec Nordiques in 1995. "Not everyone plays consistently at the level you want, and I can say the same thing about me," said McDonagh. "But other guys stepped up and its a good thing to win both games here. You focus on one game at a time, but weve really been ready to push ourselves to consistently to put us in this manner and give ourselves a chance in every game." This is the first postseason encounter between these Original Six rivals since the opening round of the 1996 playoffs when New York won in six games. The clubs have split 14 previous playoff series, but the Rangers have now won six straight postseason games against Montreal, becoming just the fourth team in NHL history to take six playoff tilts in a row versus the storied Canadiens franchise. Both teams are attempting to get back to the Cup Final for the first time since the 1990s. Montreal was the last team based in Canada to win it all in 1993, but has yet to return to the Cup Final, and the Rangers are aiming to get back to the final stage for the first time since 1994. ' ' '
