Jan. 17, 2026, 11:17 a.m. ET

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets (12-27) came into Friday’s game against the Chicago Bulls (19-22) on a five-game losing streak, but every game presents a new chance to starting a winning streak. Brooklyn had a disappointing three-game road trip where they weren’t able to close despite having a lead, but they found a way to get the job done against Chicago.

The Nets beat the Bulls 112-109 despite blowing a 20-point lead as they drew up the right play to get the ball in the hands of their best scorer to seal the win for a team that desperately needed it. Forward Michael Porter Jr. had 26 points (including the game-winning bucket) and seven rebounds while forward Noah Clowney bounced back to the tune of 23 points and 11 rebounds.

From the beginning, Brooklyn had a tough time defending Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, who finished with 19 points and six rebounds, but Chicago came to life in the second half as they shot 56.5% from the field and put up 18 fastbreak points. Ultimately, the Nets found a way to win this game down the stretch so here are three Nets takeaways from Friday’s win over the Bulls:

Michael Porter Jr. Comes Through In The Clutch

The Nets haven’t had that many games that came down to the wire as they are towards the bottom of the league in terms of the number of clutch games played this season. However, Porter, who finished the contest with 26 points and seven rebounds, had one of his best moments with Brooklyn this season as he came up huge as he drove to the rim to make a tough layup that sealed the win.

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Noah Clowney Combined Aggression With Efficiency

Clowney has been having a tough January as his shooting numbers have been down across the board, especially his shooting efficiency from three-point land. Clowney not only had a bounceback game compared to how he’s been performing for the month, but he also showed what he can look like when he puts his entire package together when it comes to his shooting, driving, and defensive ability.

Nets Closed In The Fourth Quarter For The First Time In Awhile

As mentioned above, the Nets have not had that many games come down to clutch time (which the NBA describes as a game that is within five points in the last five minutes). Brooklyn has also not been that effective in clutch games as they are 30th in win percentage (23.5%) even after beating the Bulls on Friday. The Nets blew a 20-point lead, but thanks to Michael Porter Jr. and rookie Drake Powell making huge plays in the final seconds of the game, Brooklyn was able to close a winnable game in front of their home crowd.