The Brooklyn Nets (12-27) have been having a rough January to this point as they have won just two of their nine games that they have played this month due to their underwhelming defensive performance. Brooklyn is hoping to get back on the right foot with their matchup at the Chicago Bulls (19-22) on Sunday and if you’re wondering how you can watch all the action live, you’ve come to the right place!
The Nets enter this matchup following a 112-109 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday in which Brooklyn held on to win the game despite giving up a 20-point lead that made the fourth quarter interesting. Forward Michael Porter Jr. had 26 points and seven rebounds while forward Noah Clowney had one of his best performances in some time as he dropped 23 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bulls come into this game after the 112-109 loss at the Nets despite coming back from a 20-point deficit with a furious comeback in the fourth quarter thanks to a renewed energy and aggression. Center Nikola Vucevic led the way for Chicago with 19 points and six rebounds while guard Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench to drop 18 points in 20 minutes.
The Lines, Courtesy Of BetMGM
Notable Injuries
Nets: OUT: Haywood Highsmith (knee), Michael Porter Jr. (rest), Drake Powell (knee), Ziaire Williams (return to competition reconditioning), Tyson Etienne (G League), Chaney Johnson (G League), EJ Liddell (G League), and Ben Saraf (G League).
Bulls: OUT: Zach Collins (toe), Noa Essengue (shoulder), Yuki Kawamura (G League), and Emanuel Miller (G League). DOUBTFUL: Josh Giddey (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: Patrick Williams (ankle).
Advice and Prediction
The Nets have not been playing their best basketball in January as their defense and rebounding has fallen by the wayside, but they were able to end their five-game losing streak thanks to some clutch plays in the fourth quarter. Closing games hasn’t been a strong point for Brooklyn this season as some of the younger players on the roster are still learning situational basketball.
The Bulls have been one of the more interesting teams this season as they seemed to be taking a step forward in the beginning of the season before coming down to Earth. Guard Josh Giddey, who is doubtful for this matchup due to a hamstring injury, has been a great offensive engine for Chicago, but the challenge has been how the team wins games without him on the floor.
Similar to the advice on Friday, the Nets and Bulls rank towards the bottom of the league in offensive rating and defensive rating, but the pace at which these teams play at is what separates them. Brooklyn plays at one of the slowest paces in the NBA while Chicago can play at a blistering pace, as shown in Friday’s matchup between the teams with their 24 fastbreak points.
Prediction: Bulls 110, Nets 105
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets at Bulls betting preview: Prediction, point spread, odds
