{"id":593098,"date":"2026-02-09T19:20:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T19:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/593098\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T19:20:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T19:20:23","slug":"nets-vs-bulls-preview-monday-night-hoops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/593098\/","title":{"rendered":"Nets vs. Bulls preview: Monday night hoops"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Brooklyn Nets were no match for the mighty Washington Wizards tank as the Wiz didn\u2019t bother put an effort together on Saturday afternoon. As a result, they cruised to an easy win<\/a>. It snapped a three game losing streak.<\/p>\n

The opponent tonight is looking to figure things out. The Chicago Bulls are hanging around the play-in race as per usual. They were home to take on the Denver Nuggets, but lost <\/a>136-120. Chicago has lost four games in a row.<\/p>\n

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Where to follow the game<\/p>\n

YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 7:30 PM.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd15 Injuries<\/p>\n

No Michael Porter Jr. (right knee tendinitis) or Egor D\u0451min (rest.) The three two-ways remain on Long Island. We will likely see the debuts of the two players the Nets acquired at the deadline: Ochai Agbaji and Josh Minott.<\/p>\n

Zach Collins and Noa Essengue are out. Josh Giddey and Tre Jones are doubtful. Jalen Smith is questionable.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc0 The game<\/p>\n

Brooklyn won games one <\/a>and two <\/a>while Chicago took game three<\/a>. This is the last meeting of the season.<\/p>\n

The Bulls have been stuck in the middle for a long time, and this deadline they decided to do something approaching a rebuild. Bulls have lamented the team\u2019s lack of true direction and over at The Bigs<\/a>, Drew Stevens wrote about how Chicago management messed up:<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhatever leverage might have existed at the deadline is now replaced by patience and circumstance.<\/p>\n

At best, the Bulls gain cap space \u2014 useful, but circumstantial, entirely dependent on context. The upcoming unrestricted free-agent class offers limited upside, and the restricted market is unlikely to function as a reliable talent pipeline.<\/p>\n

Flexibility, in this case, creates room, not momentum.<\/p>\n

By waiting to move, the Bulls preserved options but quietly surrendered control over how impactful those options could be.\u201c<\/p>\n

Timing is everything.<\/p>\n

Matas Buzelis has a busy weekend ahead of him. He\u2019ll be heading to Los Angeles for the Rising Stars game and will be playing under Vince Carter. It\u2019s a well deserved honor for the second year player as he\u2019s taken on a bigger role and adjusted well to the tough circumstances in Chicago this season. The Bulls are looking to finally get back into contention and Buzelis will be a big part of that plan.<\/p>\n

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This one might get ugly for the Nets. With no Porter Jr or D\u0451min, offense will be even harder to come by tonight. We\u2019ll see what Jordi Fernandez is able to cook up tonight. Don\u2019t be surprised if Noah Clowney gets an uptick in usage. It\u2019ll be exciting to see how he does with the extra responsibility over the next few games.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc40 Player to watch: Anfernee Simons<\/p>\n

A familiar face in a new place! Simons started the season with the Boston Celtics, but since the C\u2019s have to do some salary cap maneuvering and Simons will be a free agent this summer, here he is. Although he was only in Boston a short amount of time, he left a lasting impact. From Gio Rivera at Celtics Blog<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Chicago, Simons will likely reclaim a starting role and have the opportunity to thrive and build a case for the kind of contract his talent deserves in free agency. His time in Boston, though brief, will be remembered fondly by the organization, his former teammates, and the fans for years to come.<\/p>\n

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Anferno earned that.\u201c<\/p>\n

Indeed. Simons will have a new opportunity to showcase his game and see if he can push this Chicago team into the postseason.<\/p>\n

Nolan Traore continues to put good outings together. With the departure of Cam Thomas, look for him to start every game for the rest of the season. With D\u0451min out, he\u2019ll run the offense as Jordi Fernandez continues to push his growth and development. There\u2019s still plenty to keep an eye on for Brooklyn this season, and he\u2019s someone near the top of the list.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa From the Vault<\/p>\n

Bad Bunny was the halftime performer at the Super Bowl last night and was AWESOME<\/a>. But you know what we\u2019re here for!!!<\/p>\n

More reading: Blog a Bull<\/a>,\u00a0The Bigs<\/a>,\u00a0SB Nation NBA<\/a>,\u00a0New York Post<\/a>,\u00a0New York Daily News<\/a>,\u00a0Clutch Points<\/a>,\u00a0Nets Wire<\/a>,\u00a0Steve\u2019s Newsletter<\/a>,\u00a0City of Nets<\/a><\/p>\n

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