They have stopped trying to figure out the reasons for their superior play on the road and their wretched play at home. So the Nets now just look at the next game -- and that brings them to a late afternoon New Year's Eve affair in Detroit.
The Nets have more than enough to worry about with Richard Hamilton, Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace and the rest of the Pistons. Still, they are trying to figure out why they struggle so much at home, though they did beat the Pistons in New Jersey earlier this season, pulling off a 103-96 upset victory Nov. 7. In light of what has gone on since, that win has gone from the realm of upset to near impossible. The Nets are 5-12 at home -- but six games over .500 on the road. So they simply hope their good fortune continues.
In the November game, the Nets rallied from a 14-point deficit -- one of 12 times they've been down by 10 or more at home -- but rode the brilliance of Devin Harris, who essentially had his coming-out party that night but sprained an ankle that would cost him three games.
Harris scored a then career-high 38 points (he has hit 47 since), cramming 19 of the points into the third quarter with 13 of those at the foul line. Josh Boone, then the starting center -- he comes off the bench now -- had an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double.
The Nets, who have lost 7-of-8 at home, have won 7-of-8 on the road. The Nets are tied with the Lakers for the highest road scoring average in the league, 104.5.
BULLS 100, NETS 87: After rallying from a 14-point first-half deficit to claim the lead entering the fourth quarter, the Nets folded terribly in the end.
After they tied the score at 86-86, the Nets missed their last eight shots from the floor. The result was their seventh loss in eight home games, dropping their record in New Jersey to a puzzling 5-12 which negates their sparkling 10-4 mark on the road.
Vince Carter scored 31 points and Devin Harris had 26 as the only Nets in double-figures. Ben Gordon and rookie Derrick Rose combined for 45 Chicago points.
