Nets win back-to-back for first time this season behind Michael Porter Jr.’s 33 points

For the first time this season, the Nets have accumulated victories. Behind another explosive start from Michael Porter Jr. and one of its sharpest defensive halves of the season, Brooklyn held off the Chicago Bulls 113-103 Wednesday night at United Center to secure its second straight win and first straight win of the year.

Jordi Fernández’s side still have a long way to go at 5-16, but there’s no denying recent progress. The defense has sharpened, the offense has stabilized, the rookies are making real contributions and the improvement is starting to show on the field.

Neither team found much rhythm early, but Porter dragged Brooklyn into the mud, scoring 14 of the Nets’ first 19 points before a foul sent him to the bench with 3:05 left in the first quarter. His departure has not slowed the momentum. As the bench came on, the offense stabilized and the defense tightened up, helping Brooklyn extend the lead while Chicago coughed up 32 percent shooting and coughed up five turnovers. At the end of the first game, the Nets held a five-point lead and were firmly in control of the game.

Danny Wolf, who grew up in nearby Glencoe, Illinois and had more than 100 friends and family members in attendance according to the YES Network broadcast, buried his first 3-pointer of the night with 10:10 left in the second quarter, pushing Brooklyn’s lead to 13, its largest margin to that point. And the Nets defense continued to stifle the Bulls, as Chicago didn’t record its first basket of the period until the 8:16 mark on a contested drive from Josh Giddey.

The Bulls had just 44 points at halftime, the fewest the Nets had allowed in a first half this season, and were shooting 34.1 percent, while Brooklyn entered the locker room with a 10-point lead after pushing the lead to 15. Giddey was the only Chicago player in double figures, and each of the 10 Nets who saw minutes contributed in some way in the first half, in particularly on the defensive end, while Porter continued to shoulder the scoring load.

After 3-pointers out of the locker room pushed the Nets’ lead to 17 in the third, Chicago settled in offensively and capitalized on turnovers to cut the deficit to eight heading into the final quarter. It was far from Brooklyn’s best defensive sequence, as the Bulls shot 54.5% in the period.

However, the Nets went 14 of 26 in the second half, more than enough to put Chicago away despite committing 15 turnovers in the final two quarters. Their total of 19 made it three, tying their season high. Porter finished with 33 points on 10-for-20 shooting, his seventh 30-point game of the year and already a new career high, surpassing the six he recorded in 2020-21 with Denver.

Giddey led the Bulls with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

The Nets return to the Barclays Center on Thursday for a game against the Utah Jazz.