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Bulls visit Nets in hopes of locking up second seed

Apr 18, 2007 - 3:12 PM Chicago (49-32) at New Jersey (40-41) 7:30 pm EDT

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The Chicago Bulls and New Jersey Nets may meet in the first round of the playoffs. That will be determined after the teams meet in the regular-season finale on Wednesday.

The Bulls (49-32) can clinch the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a win over the Nets or a loss by the Cleveland Cavaliers (49-32), who host Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Chicago wins the tiebreaker over Cleveland.

But if Chicago loses and Cleveland wins on Wednesday, then the Bulls end up as the fifth seed and would have to play the defending champion Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

The Nets (40-41) can secure the sixth seed with a win over the Bulls or a loss by the Washington Wizards (40-41), who play at Indiana on Wednesday.

The sixth seed will match up against the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. The seventh seed will meet either the Bulls or Cavaliers.

Ben Gordon, who was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, scored 30 in Chicago's 101-68 win over Washington on Sunday. Gordon is averaging 25.4 points in his last five games.