The Chicago Bulls ran out of steam in New York on Friday night after rallying from a 17-point deficit to nearly pull off another comeback before ultimately losing to the Brooklyn Nets 120-112 at the Barclays Center.
Zach LaVine and Coby White sparked the offense in the first half, combining for 31 of the team’s 60 points. But LaVine scored only four points and White seven in the second half as the Bulls struggled to maintain offensive production despite erasing another double-digit deficit. The pair finished with 21 points apiece.
The Nets closed the game with a 14-6 run in the final five minutes, handing the Bulls their first clutch loss of the season. Cam Thomas led the hosts with 32 points.
Here are seven takeaways from the loss.
1. Nikola Vučević was almost perfect on offense
It took until the final minutes of the fourth quarter for Vučević to miss a shot as the center made his first 10 attempts from the floor. Vučević scored a team-high 28 points on 10-for-11 shooting against a smaller Nets team — a rarity for the Bulls in size matchups.
Vučević went 3-for-4 from 3-point range, continuing a dramatic improvement from behind the arc. He is 14-for-28 from 3-point range this season after shooting 29.4% in 2023-24, his worst percentage in a decade.
2. The Bulls lived — and died — from behind the arc
The loss highlighted how dependent the Bulls are on 3-point shooting to fuel their faster — and higher-scoring — offense. They shot themselves out of a 17-point deficit by going 14-for-25 from behind the arc in the opening half, bolstered by five 3s from LaVine despite a left shoulder injury and four from White.
Those 14 baskets tied a franchise record for 3-pointers in a half, matching the mark set this week in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies and reflecting the dramatic shift in offensive style this season.
But the 3-point shooting dried up in the second half as LaVine and White fell out of rhythm. The Bulls went 3-for-19 on 3s after halftime, including an 0-for-5 stretch from Ayo Dosunmu.
3. Paint scoring improved in the second half
The 3-point-shooting skid was exacerbated by the Bulls’ inability to create scoring opportunities around the rim. They were outscored 66-40 in the paint — a disparity that was heightened in the first half when they scored only 14 points inside — despite being in a rare matchup without a severe size disadvantage. As 3-pointers became less reliable, the Bulls attacked the paint more readily through Vučević in the second half.
The Bulls entered Friday averaging the second lowest percentage of points in the paint (34.2%) in the league while giving up one of the highest percentages (46.8%). This is partially by design. Due to a lack of size, the Bulls are targeting 3-point shooting as a crucial piece of scoring to take away from opponents, preferring to run shooters off the line.
4. Josh Giddey continued to build offensive chemistry
The first half showcased how Giddey can transform the offense. He had seven assists, setting up his teammates in crucial moments. Giddey also created opportunities for himself by running the floor, collecting passes as a trailing runner to force layups in transition. But he managed only one assist in the second half as the offense continued to stall out. He finished with 11 points and eight assists.
The Bulls still struggled with turnovers — although they outscored the Nets 14-13 in points off turnovers — but Giddey’s creativity sparked the offense and helped keep it more dynamic.
5. Patrick Williams struggled to produce again
The forward was the only starter to not manage double-digit scoring, finishing with six points on 2-for-8 shooting. Williams’ low scoring output this season has been a detriment even as his defense remains crucial to his role in the starting unit.
Williams had an advantageous pairing on offense against Cam Smith, offering one of the less rigorous defensive assignments the Nets could offer. But Williams continued to settle for his preferred midrange floaters, a pattern that has become a sticking point in his inability to make an offensive impact.
6. Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips were quiet off the bench
Coach Billy Donovan is still tinkering with rotations while the Bulls play without guard Lonzo Ball, who will be sidelined for at least another week with a sprained right wrist. On Friday, that meant extended minutes for Terry and Phillips, who combined for seven points, two assists and two rebounds off the bench.
The Bulls bench was outscored 48-25 as Dosunmu provided the only double-digit performance — 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
7. A first DNP for Matas Buzelis
For the first time this season, the first-round rookie did not play against the Nets. Donovan has made it clear that he is willing to keep Buzelis out of games — and even hinted about the possibility of moving Buzelis to the G-League for minutes — as he emphasizes the importance of winning while also developing young talent.
Talen Horton-Tucker played seven minutes as the 10th and final player in the rotation over Buzelis.
