Thanks to ESPN Stats & Info’s Ernest Tolden, here are some interesting notes going into Game 1:
• On Saturday night, the major league playoffs will return to Brooklyn for the first time since Oct. 10, 1956, when the Dodgers hosted Game 7 of the World Series.
• If the regular season was any indication, these games are likely to be played in the 90s.
Head-to-head regular season stats between the Nets and Chicago Bulls
Wins: Nets 1, Bulls 3
PPG: Nets 87.5, Bulls 90.0
FG PCT: Nets 44.9, Bulls 46.4
RPG: Nets 36.3, Bulls 35.5
Dec. 15 (Chicago): Bulls win 83-82
Feb. 1 (Brooklyn): Nets win 93-89
March 2 (Chicago): Bulls win 96-85
April 4 (Brooklyn): Bulls win 92-90
• Carlos Boozer dominated the Nets, averaging 21.3 points on 53.8 percent shoting in three regular-season games. Luol Deng, however, shot just 39.3 percent in four games.
• The Nets scored 106.1 points per 100 possessions under P.J. Carlesimo (35-19), compared to 102.9 under Avery Johnson (14-14). Carlesimo has not appeared in the postseason as a head coach since 1997; he owns a 3-9 all-time record.
• Brook Lopez averaged 22.0 points on 52.9 percent shooting in four games against the Bulls. Joe Johnson averaged 13.0 points on 43.1 percent shooting in four games.
• The Bulls have played a combined 388 playoff games; the Nets have played a combined 273.
• Both teams are mirror images of each other:
Pct Half-court offense: Nets 89.1, Bulls 89.6
Pace: Nets 91.2, Bulls 92.0
Off reb pct: Nets 30.9, Bulls 294.
• The Nets are a much better team when Johnson is on the floor
Off Eff: On court, 107.8, Off court 99.6
Def Eff: On court 103.4, Off court 104.0
Diff Net Eff: On court plus-4.4