10* NBA GAME OF THE MONTH
(NBA) Chicago vs. Brooklyn,
Point Spread: -3.00 | -108.00 Brooklyn (Home)
Result: Loss
Jason Kidd had a closed door meeting with the team last night and I expect them to be focused for this primetime TV Christmas afternoon game and this is also a playoff revenge game for the Nets. Derrick Rose is out and also Luol Deng for the Bulls. The Nets shot just 38.2 percent from the field Monday night while missing 20 of 26 from beyond the arc after averaging 106.9 points on 49.4 percent shooting -- including 47.2 from 3-point range -- in their previous seven games. Joe Johnson finished with 17 points, but Garnett had 12 on 3-of-10 shooting and Deron Williams added nine while missing 6 of 9 from the field. Pierce, who went 0 for 7 before getting ejected for a flagrant foul on Indiana's George Hill, failed to score for only the second time in his 15-year career. Pierce was fined $15,000 on Tuesday for the foul. The Nets got Jason Terry back and he scored 11 after missing 15 games with a bruised left knee, and Kidd could be getting more help with Andrei Kirilenko (back) hoping to return against the Bulls for this game. The floor general is Deron Williams with his balance of power in favor of Brooklyn. Chicago really struggles on the road and I'll back the Brooklyn Nets at home in this one.