FINAL: Brooklyn 114 Bulls 105 ( Bulls: 27-54, 10-31 on the road )
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: Kilpatrick: 16 Nets: Crabbe : 41 (career high)
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Nwaba: 10. Nets: Russell: 6
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Payne: 6 Nets: Russell: 11.
Brooklyn wins season series 3-0.
CCI 24 SECONDS COMMENTARY: The Nets won for the second time over the Bulls in a three day span. Allen Crabbe, celebrating his 26th birthday, poured in a career high 41 points, 20 coming in a spectacular first quarter for the veteran out of California. The combination of Crabbe, Russell and Dinwiddie combined for 82 points. The Bulls made runs at the Nets throughout the second half but costly turnovers prevented the Bulls from any extended momentum.
CCI STAT OF THE NIGHT: 500 rebounds. Lauri Markkanen joined an exclusive rookie club collecting at least one thousand points and 500 rebounds in his first season joining Jordan, Brand and Greenwood. I can’t wait to see his game develop over the years and in this “new age” NBA, don’t be surprised if we see Markkanen at the five.
QUICK STATS: Sean Kilpatrick led the Bulls in scoring with 16 as he recorded his seventh double figure scoring game in his eighth Bulls’ appearance. David Nwaba picked up his third double-double of the season with an 11 points 10 rebounds game. Bobby Portis is shooting 58% from the field the past five games.
UP NEXT: Home with Detroit Wednesday.
NBA NEWS AND NOTES:
NOLA 113 LAC 100. The Pelicans are in the playoffs! Great job as they battled every game after losing Boogie Cousins. The Bulls get their pick. Looking at somewhere..18?
Minnesota 113 Memphis 94. On Wednesday it’s a showdown for the playoffs: Denver at Minnesota. KAT with a 24-18 game.
Denver 88 Portland 82. Jokic with a triple double. Nuggets have won six straight but they need Wednesday’s game at Minnesota.
San Antonio 98 Kings 85. The Spurs are headed to the playoffs for the 21st straight season. Wowza !
OKC 115 Miami 93. The Thunder clinch a playoff spot. Westbrook with a triple double.
Cleveland 123 NY 109. LeBron has played in all 81 games. LeBron is going to lead his team in nearly every category for the fifth time in his career. Incredible. James with the Heat and Cavs respectively became the first NBA player to claim 10 straight divisional titles . With everything the Cavs have been thought this season they won their 50th game of the season.
Toronto 108 Detroit 98. The Raps’ get win #59. Detroit played without Drummond, Griffin and Bullock. Pistons owner Tom Gores will meet with Stan Van Gundy to review the year.
Milwaukee 102 Orlando 86. Shabazz Mohammad scored 22. Fabulous late season pick up by the Bucks.
Thanks for reading CCI. E mail me at cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls.
Always a pleasure!