Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Ben Gordon provided 29 points and six assists, and the Chicago Bulls came back to defeat the New Jersey Nets, 113-104, at United Center.
Derrick Rose added 22 points, six assists and six rebounds for Chicago, which has won three of four overall and eight of 11 at home this season. Drew Gooden scored 14 points, while Tyrus Thomas had a season-high 16 points and five rebounds in the win.
Vince Carter had a game-high 39 points and six rebounds for the Nets, who have lost three straight and snapped a four-game road winning streak. Devin Harris added 22 points and seven assists, while Brook Lopez had 17 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Bobby Simmons contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds for New Jersey.
Trailing 80-75 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Bulls ripped off a 10-4 run, taking an 85-84 lead on Thomas' basket with nine minutes left.
Tied at 93, Carter drained a three-pointer to give the Nets a three-point lead, but Rose answered with a three of his own to square the game. After Yi Jianlian misfired on a shot, Gordon came down the court and nailed a shot from long range to put Chicago ahead, 99-96 with 2:46 left.
Rose extended the lead to five with a floater in the lane with 1 1/2 minutes to go, and Gordon hit a free throw after Harris received a technical foul with 1:10 remaining.
Thomas picked off a Harris pass on New Jersey's next possession and made two free throws with 36.7 seconds left. With a 106-98 lead at that point, the Bulls cruised to the victory.
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Simmons scored nine early points, as the Nets jumped out to a 23-8 lead just 7 1/2 minutes into the game. The Bulls cut into the deficit, though, and trailed only 31-22 after the opening period.
Chicago opened the second on 14-5 run, tying the game at 36 on Thomas' basket with 7:35 left in the half. But New Jersey closed the half on an 22-8 burst, with Carter and Harris providing 18 of the points, to take a 60-50 halftime advantage.
The Bulls used a 9-0 run midway through the third to tie the game at 73 on Rose's 21-foot jumper. Carter sank four free throws down the stretch in the third, and the Nets held an 80-75 lead heading into the fourth.
