Michael Porter Jr. produced a team-best 33 points and 10 rebounds and Noah Clowney chipped in 20 points to lift the visiting Brooklyn Nets to a 113-103 win against the slumping Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
Brooklyn has won consecutive games for the first time this season. Chicago has lost five straight, matching a season high, and 11 of 14.
The Nets finished 19 of 46 from beyond the arc. Clowney connected on six 3-pointers while Porter Jr. buried five.
Nic Claxton contributed 14 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Nets and Egor Demlin scored 10 points.
Josh Giddey boosted Chicago with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, securing his second triple-double in the past six games.
Nikola Vucevic posted a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Ayo Dosunmu (16 points), Matas Buzelis (14) and Patrick Williams (10) followed in double figures.
Injuries have beset the Bulls, who were without Coby White (calf), Kevin Huerter (hamstring) and Isaac Okoro (back), a trio that entered the night with 26 combined starts.
Chicago endured its lowest-scoring and worst shooting half of the season, trailing 54-44 at the break after connecting on just 34.1% of its shots, including 12.5% (2 of 16) from long range.
Sparked by a dunk and trey from Julian Phillips, the Bulls scored seven of the first nine points of the third quarter to draw within five. The Nets responded with a 14-2 run over the next 2:09 to stretch the advantage to 17.
Brooklyn’s barrage featured four 3-pointers, with Clowney swishing three.
Chicago cut the deficit to six, with Phillips (two steals) helping the Bulls force seven Nets turnovers in the third quarter.
Brooklyn showed improved ball movement down the stretch while rediscovering its long-range rhythm. The Nets drilled seven 3s in the fourth and extended their lead to as many as 19.
Giddey paced the Bulls in the first half with 15 points and seven rebounds, but Chicago could not overcome only seven made treys in 30 attempts (23.3%).
Porter Jr. contributed 17 points and eight boards in 14 minutes before intermission while battling foul trouble.
Brooklyn stopped a two-game losing streak in the series and a four-game skid at the United Center.
Porter Jr. has scored at least 30 points in a career-best seven games this season.
–Field Level Media




