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Nets continue playoff push vs. reeling Bulls

Mar 18, 2008 - 1:07 PM New Jersey (28-38) at Chicago (26-40) 8:30 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - The New Jersey Nets continue to make a late playoff push. The Chicago Bulls late-game issues are preventing them from joining the fun.

Richard Jefferson and the Nets aim for a third straight win on Tuesday when they visit the defensively-challenged Bulls.

New Jersey, which lost the first six games of March, has won consecutive games over playoff caliber teams. The Nets, who are one-half game behind the Atlanta Hawks (29-38) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, beat Cleveland on Wednesday and Utah on Saturday.

Jefferson scored 27 points and hit the game-winning shot with 1.5 seconds left against the Jazz. New Jersey will need another clutch performance out of him if it is to snap a seven-game road losing streak.

The Nets went winless on a five-game trek earlier this season, and are looking to avoid their first eight-game road skid since January 19 - March 2, 2001. The way the Bulls have been playing defense lately, the Nets need not worry.

Chicago has lost four of five and has seen fourth-quarter leads of nine and 18 points evaporate during the last two games. As a result, the Bulls are 2 1/2 games back of the Hawks.

On Monday Chicago was outscored 33-13 in the final quarter of a 108-97 loss to New Orleans.

Vince Carter scored a season-high 33 points as the Nets posted a 110-102 home win over Chicago in the last meeting on February 20.