NBA: Bulls enter two-game set vs. Nets eyeing .500 mark

After hitting the game-winning shot to cap his best performance of the season, Nikola Vucevic described the Chicago Bulls’ 128-126 victory over the Utah Jazz simply: “We found a way.”

The Bulls, continuing their push toward a .500 record, will look to build on that momentum Friday night when they visit the Brooklyn Nets.

Chicago has won 10 of its past 17 games after a seven-game losing streak from Nov. 24 to Dec. 7. The team reached the .500 mark twice before dropping three straight from Jan. 3-7. The upcoming home-and-home series against Brooklyn offers the Bulls another chance to reach .500 by Sunday.

Vucevic delivered a season-high 35 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and scored the decisive layup with four seconds remaining. He took a pass from Tre Jones after Isaac Okoro saved the ball from going out of bounds.

“I feel that play kind of summarized the whole game,” Vucevic said. “It was a lot of ups and downs, a lot of mistakes we made, turnovers and defensive coverages. Overall, happy we won. We found a way.”

Chicago’s reserves also played a big role, contributing a combined 61 points from Ayo Dosunmu, Patrick Williams, Kevin Huerter, Jalen Smith, and Dalen Terry. Okoro was the only other starter to reach double figures with 12 points. The Bulls shot 51.1%, made 17 3-pointers, and have scored at least 125 points in eight of their past 17 games.

“It’s the job we do,” Vucevic added. “You have to be professional. You have good games, bad games. You have to bring it every night.”

The Nets, meanwhile, have struggled after a strong December. Brooklyn won seven of 10 games from Dec. 1-27 but have dropped eight of nine since a 120-107 loss to Golden State on Dec. 29, including a five-game losing streak — two shy of their season worst.

Brooklyn just completed a three-game road trip with close losses to Memphis, Dallas, and New Orleans by a combined 16 points. In Wednesday’s 116-113 defeat to the Pelicans, the Nets surrendered a 12-point lead and allowed 26 second-chance points on 18 offensive rebounds.

“It’s extremely disappointing because I keep telling our guys over and over again how important defensive rebounding is,” Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernandez said. “I know our guys care about doing the right things. The problem is right now, our focus and our intentions are not there, and that’s something that I got to help get better at.”

Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 20 points, while rookie Egor Demin added 17 points, marking double figures for the 10th time in his last 12 games. Demin has shot 52.7% from 3-point range over his last seven games.

The Bulls aim to carry their high-scoring form and late-game composure into Friday’s clash with the Nets.

-Field Level Media/Reuters