Kritik und Lob » team, it outweighs the three games he still h

NEW YORK -- Jason Collins started walking from the bench to the scorers table, fans rising out of their seats all around Barclays Center. He committed a foul five seconds after entering. His only shot barely hit the rim. Collins performance may not have been pretty, but everything else was great. Collins played the final minutes of a winning home debut with the Brooklyn Nets, who cooled off the Chicago Bulls with a 96-80 victory Monday night. "It was cool. It was a lot of fun to go into the game," Collins said. "The most important thing was that we got the win. Chicagos been playing really well as of late and for us to come out and really be -- I think we played more physical than they did tonight." Finally playing at home more than a week after returning to the NBA as the leagues first openly gay player, Collins checked in to a standing ovation from a sellout crowd of 17,732 that included former NBA Commissioner David Stern with 2:41 remaining. He grabbed a rebound and had one of the Nets NBA season high-tying 19 steals in their third straight victory. Deron Williams scored 20 points and Joe Johnson had 19 for the Nets (29-29), who got back to .500 for the first time since they were 2-2 after beating Utah on Nov. 5. D.J. Augustin scored 16 points off the bench for the sloppy Bulls, who turned it over 28 times, leading to 30 Nets points, and had their four-game winning streak snapped. The Bulls had a franchise-low three turnovers in their 109-90 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday and had won nine of 10. But the Nets were too good in this one, building a series of comfortable leads and making the only intrigue down the stretch whether Collins would get in during his first home appearance for the Nets since Jan. 29, 2008, against Milwaukee in East Rutherford, N.J. A chant of "Jason Collins! Jason Collins!" broke out while Williams was shooting a free throw with the Nets leading 90-73 with 3:27 remaining. Fans finally got their wish less than a minute later -- though not because coach Jason Kidd was listening to them. "No, the game was out of hand, so I wanted to get those guys some rest," he said. "D-Will was shooting free throws. Couldnt put Twin in at that time, so I told him after the free throws that he would come in." Collins original 10-day contract will expire Tuesday and the Nets plan to sign him to a second deal on Wednesday. A Nets player from 2001-08, he has appeared in all five games since he signed on Feb. 23. Paul Pierce and Shaun Livingston each scored 14 points for the Nets, who were without starting centre Kevin Garnett for a second straight game because of back spasms. "Mentally, the Bulls have really had our numbers," Pierce said. "To be honest, if I was them Id feel like when they come play the Nets, they feel like they could beat us every time. I think the guys really had pride tonight to say, You know were tired of getting pushed around by the Bulls." Joakim Noah managed just 10 points, six rebounds and one assist for the Bulls, a day after finishing with 13 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds in his fifth career triple-double. The All-Star centre rolled his right ankle early in the second half of that game and said it hurt after the game, but he was determined to play Monday in his hometown. The Bulls had dominated the first two meetings and beaten the Nets four straight times, but Brooklyn controlled this one most of the way in improving to 12-2 at home since Chicagos rout here on Christmas Day. "We smashed them in the mouth twice, its never going to be easy to come in to tough-minded team and do it again," Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. The Nets scored the first eight points, the last one on Williams free throw after Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau screamed his way to a technical foul after calling time. Their lead grew to 15, but the Bulls trimmed it to 27-18 by the end of the first quarter. Brooklyn led 50-42 at halftime, and Chicago started the second half just as bad as the first. The Nets scored the first seven to take a 57-42 lead when Williams set up Mason Plumlee for a dunk. "I think we had all intentions to play hard, but like I say, it didnt show," Augustin said. "Being down early, you cant come start the game down, you cant start the second half down, so that was our big mistakes, and then the turnovers killed us." NOTES: The Nets 19 steals were their most since finishing with 20 against Indiana on March 21, 1989. ... Brooklyn hadnt scored more than 23 points in a period against Chicago this season and surpassed that in both the first (27) and third (26). College Jerseys .C. -- Duke sophomore Rodney Hood is entering the NBA draft. Authentic NCAA Jerseys .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. https://www.cheapncaajerseysjustwholesale.com/ . -- Kevin Harvick pulled away on a restart with 47 laps to go and ended Chase Elliotts two-race winning streak in NASCARs Nationwide Series with a dominating victory early Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. NCAA Jerseys . Altidore strained his left hamstring in the Americans opener against Ghana on June 16 and didnt play in their next two games. "We dont know how much because we need to see how hes going, but hes available," U. Wholesale College Jerseys . - PGA Tour rookie Tony Finau shot a 9-under 63 at Del Monte and had a two-stroke lead over Billy Andrade and Lee Janzen of the Champions Tour after Thursdays opening round of the Callaway Pebble Beach Invitational.TORONTO -- Players arrived a few at a time from across Canada on Thursday to begin preparations for a three-day camp at the Mastercard Centre before heading for Sweden for more practice and three pre-tournament games. What wasnt known is whether Halifax Mooseheads forward Jonathan Drouin, projected to be a top points producer, will be able to skate. He suffered a concussion last week after being hit from behind in a game against the Quebec Remparts. He was to be evaluated by team doctors Thursday night to see if he is ready to resume skating. Drouin said he feels better, but its up to the doctors to say if he can skate. "I want to get on the ice with the guys as soon as possible, but its my health and Im not going to push it," said Drouin, the third-overall pick in the NHL draft in June by the Tampa Bay Lightning. "But its not me deciding those things. Its more medical testing to make sure Im fine in my head." Coach Brent Sutter doubts that Drouin will skate this week, but it wont disrupt the teams preparations either way. "Well monitor him," said Sutter. "Theres no rush or panic. We have a few days before we need to be concerned about it." Drouin played well at last years world juniors, when Canada was shut out of the medals after losing to the United States in the semifinals. And he was a force as Halifax won the Memorial Cup. He was disappointed that the Lightning didnt keep him in the NHL after training camp, but since then he has been tearing up the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 17 goals and 50 points in only 23 games. Ryan Jankowski, the junior teams top scout, said the experience Drouin acquired last season has made him a better player. "Hes been through a lot," said Jankowski. "Winning a Memorial Cup and being part of the world juniors was huge for him, but now hes taking his game to the next level. "His game has changed. Hes more complete,, but he has also raised his offensive game to dominate more than he did last year, if thats possible.dddddddddddd" Another returning player is Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman Griffin Reinhart, who was slapped with a four-game suspension for slashing an American player in last years world juniors. He sat out one game in that tournament, but is to miss the first three games this time. Sutter shot down any notion that the suspension would play any part in the decision on whether to keep the big and gifted rearguard. "Were not going to be worried about the suspension he has," said Sutter. "If we have to carry six defencemen to start the tournament, well do so. "You look at the youth on our team, it outweighs the three games he still has to serve." He said the experience and leadership of players like Reinhart is even more important on a team that has three "underage" players in camp -- 16-year-old phenom Connor McDavid, as well as possibly the two top picks in the 2014 NHL draft in defenceman Aaron Ekblad and Reinharts younger brother Sam. There are three cuts still to be made -- five if Monahan and Rielly join the squad -- and it is uncertain if the three youngsters will make it. Sutter is high on all three, but there is only room for two goalies, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. McDavid said hes ready to accept any role, if it means making the team. "Theres a little pressure I guess, being that I am 16, but I dont think they would have brought me here if they thought that was going to be a big deal," he said. "So I just try to put it out of my head and focus on the task at hand." Sutter set no timetable for the cuts, which could come at the end of the camp but may come after the first exhibition game in Sweden. They hope to have their 22-man squad set at least for the last two pre-tournament games. The deadline to declare rosters is Dec. 25. ' ' '