Then, age and injuries started to hit both teams and they got off to below average starts. Just to make things crueler, Derrick Rose and Brook Lopez saw their seasons come to abrupt endings. We were left with a match-up seemingly no one wanted to open presents in front of.
As expected, neither team looked very good in the first half, justifying the low ratings this game is likely to get. Then, after leading 41-38 at halftime, the Bulls outscored the Nets 36-20 in the third quarter, cruising to a 95-78 victory. Best of all, they'll still have time to spend Christmas back in Chicago. This victory will only energize whatever celebrations they had planned.
Six Bulls scored in double figures, led by Taj Gibson's 20 off the bench. His game included a couple of highlight reel dunks. I'll confess I haven't seen a whole lot of what many have said is an impressive season on his part, mainly due to watching fewer games this year. Still, nice to know he's been a bright spot in a disappointing year so far.
Of the five starters, only Kirk Hinrich failed to reach double-digit points. Jimmy Butler led that group with 15. Meanwhile, D.J. Augustin contributed from the bench too, scoring 13 to continue a run that only impresses me more as the games progress. For good measure, he led both teams in assists with five, so maybe, the Bulls have found their replacement for Nate Robinson.
I realize this has been a difficult season for the Bulls, but it's refreshing to see them come out on top so easily. After getting everything handed to them against Houston last Christmas, everyone was expecting a similar outcome given recent events. Instead, Santa reached into his bag for an easy win when they needed it most. Whether this jump starts a sleeping giant remains to be seen, but for now, our holiday as Bulls fans is a little brighter.
We also learned to be grateful we're not the Nets, who are making these Bulls look like one of the more successful teams in the league. Besides losing Lopez, they have a head coach mere months after retiring as a player (Jason Kidd), two-thirds of a broken-down three-headed monster from the 2008 Celtics (Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett), nobody who's started every game, and horrible contracts that are forcing them into a record $180 million luxury tax. While the Bulls' future looks dire, everything that's happened in Brooklyn recently could set the Nets back for years.
The Bulls can enjoy this for a couple days before they return to the United Center Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks. The big story will be whether they can extend their first winning streak since before Rose went down. Until then, Merry Christmas to you and your family and thank you for your continued reading. God bless us, everyone.
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