Three Takeaways From The Nets' Thrilling Win Over The Bulls

Coming off the heels of a winless road trip, the Brooklyn Nets (12-27) returned home trying to break a five-game losing streak by taking on the Chicago Bulls (19-22).

Outside of Ziaire Williams, who missed a third-straight game with an illness, the Nets had their whole roster available to try and finally end the losing streak. And it took all 48 minutes, but the Nets eventually came out on top with a thrilling 112-109 win to send the fans home happy.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Nets win over the Bulls.

1. Nets Excellent Close To First Half

Noah Clowney is HOOPIN'

he's got 10 points in 2Q pic.twitter.com/8rDllDF9IJ
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 17, 2026

Most of the first half was a close back-and-forth affair between these two teams. Everything changed with just under five minutes to play in the second quarter, when the Nets decided they wanted to put some distance between themselves and Chicago. After Tre Jones cut Brooklyn's lead to 42-38 with 4:49 to play, the Nets went on to play one of their best stretches of play this entire season.

Brooklyn ended the half on a 15-2 run, turning a thin four-point lead into a 17-point halftime lead. Noah Clowney was spectacular during the run, scoring ten of the Nets' 15 points, as Brooklyn turned up the defensive intensity to keep a talented Bulls offense at bay. That run was the epitome of Nets basketball at its best.

2. Nets Improve On The Glass

Coming off the loss in New Orleans, where the Nets got dominated in the glass, it was clear that Jordi Fernandez emphasized winning the rebound battle to his team. And Brooklyn more than got the message. They went to work on Friday, battling for every fifty-fifty ball en route to ultimately winning the rebounding battle 47-41.

Nic Claxton led the way, snagging a season-high 14 boards, with five of those coming on the offensive end of the court. Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney, and Day'Ron Sharpe each picked up at least five rebounds as well, helping the Nets make much-needed improvements on the glass. This was a necessary adjustment that needed to be made, and to the Nets' credit, they made it.

3. Nets Snatch Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat

MAKE IT A GAME-WINNER FOR HIM https://t.co/rjaH7LtkiC pic.twitter.com/kGQQrS4ZrZ
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 17, 2026

Early in the fourth, it looked like the Nets were going to cruise to a home win to end their five-game losing streak. They had a 20-point lead, and everything was going to plan. Then the Bulls started to string together some buckets. And they paired those buckets with some crucial turnovers, ultimately ending in Chicago taking a one-point lead with 11 seconds to play. The Nets were on the verge of another collapse.

That's when Fernandez turned to his All-Star in MPJ. A well-designed play gave Porter Jr. a look at the rim, and he finished through some contact to give the Nets their lead back with five seconds to play. With the game on the line, rookie Drake Powell intercepted the Chicago in-bounds pass, and a pair of free throws iced the game. This was a great moment for this young team, as they showed some real resiliency with everything on the line.