The 19-21 Chicago Bulls head to New York on Friday night, where they’ll play the first game of a home-and-home clash with the 11-27 Brooklyn Nets.
On Wednesday, Chicago barely survived a Utah Jazz team that would clearly love to lose as much as possible down this season’s home stretch. A botched Keyonte George jumper was all that stood between the Bulls and overtime, against a Jazz club missing two of its best three players. Utah was sitting ex-Bull Lauri Markkanen with an illness (he also rested Thursday). Center Walker Kessler, of course, is done for the year.
Now, the Bulls will look to begin their march back to a .500 record with these Brooklyn bouts. The Nets, like Utah, are embracing the tank. They have a very young roster that’s better equipped to lose than even Utah, and a few trade chips on agreeable deals they could offload to be even worse (more on them in a bit).
Without Josh Giddey available for weeks, forward Matas Buzelis and point guard Tre Jones have stepped up. But there have been growing pains. A frustrated Billy Donovan benched Buzelis for the entirety of the fourth quarter against Utah, and instead leaned on 35-year-old Nikola Vucevic, who scored 35 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out five assists in a meaningless win.
Bulls shooting guard Coby White continues to work his way back into a consistent rhythm, and he’ll have plenty of chances against a very raw Brooklyn backcourt.
© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesGame Info
The Brooklyn Nets (11-27) host the Chicago Bulls (19-21) – 6:30 p.m. CT on CHSN (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio).
Chicago Bulls
Tre Jones Coby White Isaac Okoro Matas Buzelis Nikola VucevicBrooklyn Nets
Egor Demin Drake Powell Michael Porter Jr. Noah Clowney Nicolas ClaxtonGame Lines
The Bulls are 1.5-point favorites to win on the road, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Cardiac Bulls Get It Done! Bulls 128, Jazz 126 – January 14, 2026What To Watch For
A lot of this Brooklyn team could be for sale. Although the Bulls would likely love nothing better than to stay deeply irrelevant and cash fan checks in perpetuity, Chicago is reported to have some interest in a trade for rising Nets star forward Michael Porter Jr., per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. The Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks are all also gunning for the prolific scorer’s services. This year, the 6-foot-10 Mizzou product has been averaging 25.7 points on .486/.401/.841 shooting splits, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists — all career highs. Though Porter would add some size and three-level scoring to the wing for Chicago, his bloated contract, lingering back issues, and mileage would make him a risky addition. His inflated stat line could be more the beneficiary of extra touches on a doomed team. How will the Bulls stop Brooklyn’s best scorer? Swingman Isaac Okoro usually draws the defensive assignment on a rival squad’s top perimeter player. He’ll gum up the works for Porter and be able to capably keep up with him, but Porter is six inches taller with a four-inch wingspan edge. The more size-appropriate Jalen Smith is another solid Porter coverage option for the Bulls. Golden State is also allegedly interested in rim-running center Nicolas Claxton, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Talented size at the five spot has been the Warriors’ weakness all year. Adding a Claxton type would seem to be the least that Bulls wing-turned-Golden State president Mike Dunleavy Jr. could do for Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. Chicago will get a chance at an up-close-and-personal look at what a solid lob threat center can do, when Claxton presumably runs roughshod over Nikola Vucevic. Jalen Smith, the Bulls’ best defensive center with Zach Collins sidelined indefinitely, will likely get plenty of run guarding Claxton.Injury Report
Chicago Bulls
Noa Essengue OUT (shoulder) Josh Giddey OUT (left hamstring) Zach Collins OUT (right first toe) Yuki Kawamura OUT (G League) Emanuel Miller OUT (G League) Lachlan Olbrich OUT (G League)Brooklyn Nets
Haywood Highsmith OUT (knee) Ziaire Williams OUT (return to competition conditioning) Tyson Etienne OUT (G League) Chaney Johnson (G League) E.J. Liddell OUT (G League) Ben Saraf OUT (G League) © David Banks-Imagn ImagesHence then, the article about pre gamin bulls vs nets 6 30 pm ct projected lineups how to watch more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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