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Bulls, Nets square off in season opener

Oct 31, 2007 - 1:28 PM Chicago (0-0) at New Jersey (0-0) 7:30 pm EDT

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- In the wide-open Eastern Conference, both the Chicago Bulls and the New Jersey Nets expect to contend.

The Bulls visit the Nets on Wednesday in their respective season openers.

The Bulls are poised to contend this season with their entire nucleus returning from a team that reached the conference semifinals last season. Forward Luol Deng is on the verge of becoming an impact player after averaging 18.8 points per game last season.

Helping Deng with the scoring load will be guards Ben Gordon - 21.4 points - and Kirk Hinrich - 16.6 points, 6.3 rebounds.

The backcourt will be the key to Chicago's offensive attack at least early in the season, as big men Tyrus Thomas, Ben Wallace, Andres Nocioni and rookie Joakim Noah will all likely miss the season opener with injuries.

The Nets re-signed Vince Carter - 25.2 points - in the offseason and will open the season with the "big three" of Carter, Richard Jefferson and Jason Kidd all healthy.

New Jersey reached the conference semifinals last season before bowing to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This season, they have the benefit of inside help in the form of veteran center Jamaal Magloire and 24-year-old Nenad Krstic, who missed the final 56 games of the season last season after suffering a torn ACL.