New-look Bulls to focus on defense vs. confident Nets

Less than a month after the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets clashed in consecutive games, the teams will meet again Monday with the Bulls sporting an entirely different look.

On Jan. 18, the Bulls dominated in a 124-102 home win over the Brooklyn Nets that started a four-game winning streak. The run of success got Chicago to one game over .500 at 23-22.

Since then, though, the Bulls' roster underwent a massive makeover, and the revamped version will attempt to halt a four-game skid when they visit the Nets on Monday night in New York.

The Nets had Dec. 3 and Jan. 16 victories over the Bulls before Chicago broke through in the season series. Seven players hit double figures in Chicago's victory, but Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter were among those traded as last week's deadline arrived.

The deals resulted in Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Rob Dillingham, Nick Richards and Leonard Miller joining a team that was in the play-in round in each of the previous three seasons.

The Bulls are 1-7 since their four-game winning streak and 19-29 since opening the season with a five-game winning streak.

Chicago allowed opponents to shoot 53.7% overall, 46.8% from 3-point range and 54.5% in the paint during double-digit losses to the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets.

In Saturday's 136-120 loss to the visiting Denver Nuggets, the Bulls allowed a season-worst 57.6% from the field that included 68.2% in the fourth when they were outscored 39-16.

"The defense was not good (in the fourth quarter)," Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. "We're going to make some mistakes. The guys are all playing together (but) guys are forgetting plays. The spacing may not (be there). It's going to happen, but we've got to get much, much better defensively."

Chicago allowed its third-most points of the season while getting mixed results from its newcomers offensively. Sexton scored 17 in his debut, Simons and Richards added 15 apiece, while Guerschon Yabusele finished with 12 and Ivey had 10. The seven newbies who played combined for 17 assists and 12 turnovers while shooting 42.2% (27 of 64) from the field.

The Nets are 4-18 over their past 22 games, but coming off one of their better showings of late to create the rare opportunity for consecutive victories. On Saturday, the Nets took control in the first quarter, led by as many as 34 and recorded a 127-113 home victory over the Washington Wizards, who suited up eight available players.

Brooklyn scored 80 points in the first half, its most since a 91-point opening half against the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 21, 2022. The Nets shot a season-best 54.9%, scored a season-high 66 points in the paint and tied a season-best with 36 assists.

"The message was there shouldn't be distractions anymore, and this is who we are," Brooklyn rookie Danny Wolf said. "Guys did a great job buying into the game plan."

Michael Porter Jr. led seven in double figures with 20 of his 23 points in the first half. Day'Ron Sharpe tied a season-high with 19 points while the Nets saw three of their five rookies reach double figures.

Wolf finished with 16, Nolan Traore added 15 while starting in the backcourt with fellow rookie Egor Demin and Ben Saraf finished with 10.