NEW JERSEY -- The Chicago Bulls defeated the Brooklyn Nets 90-82 Monday tonight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, tying the best-of-7 series at 1-1 after losing Game 1 by 17 points on Saturday.
Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau got his team back to playing the stingy defensive ways that they have relied on to win throughout the regular season. Without superstar Derrick Rose, the scrappy Bulls also had to rely on a balanced offensive attack.
The Nets struggled mightily from the field, shooting only 35% from the field and an abyssal 19% from beyond the arc.
Bulls center Joakim Noah fought through his painful plantar fasciitis and gave a spirited 26 minutes of play. The 6-foot-11 All-Star finished with a double-double, 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Bulls forward Luol Deng also bounced back from a poor game 1 performance tonight with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Brook Lopez led all scorers with 21 points for the Nets and Joe Johnson chipped in with 17 points. Point guard Deron Williams, who was held to just eight points on 1-for-9 shooting, was frustrated by the Bulls' trapping schemes and the hard-nosed defense of guards Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson.
The series switches over to Chicago for Game 3 at the United Center on Thursday.
NOTES: New York Giants 2011 Superbowl Champions Justin Tuck and Michael Strahan were in attendance and received a loud reception from the NY crowd. (RS)
Photo: Bulls' Marco Belinelli drive in for a layup against the Nets Andray Blatche.
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