By BRIAN MAHONEY
NEW YORK (AP) Nikola Mirotic scored 26 points, Pau Gasol had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls clinched home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a 113-86 victory Monday night over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets fell into ninth place in the Eastern Conference and will need a win Wednesday and a loss by Indiana in at least one of its final two games to reach the postseason.
Jimmy Butler shot 7 for 10 and scored 17 points for the Bulls, who moved a half-game ahead of Toronto into sole possession of third place in the East.