Preview: Nets at Bulls

[December 28, 2016]  The Chicago Bulls continue to be one of the more confusing teams in the NBA, but at least they have a chance to build some positive momentum. The Bulls will try to string together consecutive wins for the first time in over two weeks when they host the lowly Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

Chicago surrendered an average of 109.7 points during a three-game slide, capped by a 119-100 loss at San Antonio on Christmas Day, but turned up the defense and ended the skid with a 90-85 triumph over the Indiana Pacers on Monday. The victory marked the beginning of a stretch with six of eight at home for the Bulls, who are 9-6 in their own building. The Nets are an NBA-worst 1-14 away from home but hit the road with some momentum after Randy Foye's buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave them a 120-118 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. "I’m just thrilled with our group," Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters. "We went through some tough times recently. So to come back and get a win like this ... and the way we got it is special."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), CSN Chicago

ABOUT THE NETS (8-22): Brooklyn's win on Monday snapped a five-game slide but came at a cost as point guard Jeremy Lin left with a left hamstring injury - the same ailment that kept him sidelined 17 games earlier this season. Foye was barely a member of the regular rotation until taking over for Lin and only hit one shot on Monday - the game-winner. Lin, who is day-to-day, scored in double figures in each of his seven games since returning from the first hamstring injury and was enjoying one of his best games with 17 points and four assists in 22 minutes on Monday before going down.

 ABOUT THE BULLS (15-16): Chicago got a strong contribution from a player recently out of the rotation as well when Nikola Mirotic stepped up with 20 points on Monday. The 25-year-old power forward did not play in back-to-back games on Dec. 15 and 16 but scored in double figures in each of the last five games to earn back the trust of his teammates and coaches. "We need him to win; it's as simple as that," shooting guard Dwyane Wade told reporters of Mirotic. "We just want him to be aggressive. We've been trying to put him in different spots on the floor the last few games. And he's been getting better looks. Once he sees it go in, his confidence goes up. He knows we believe and trust in him."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Nets SG Bojan Bogdanovic was dropped from the starting lineup after going scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting on Friday and scored 26 points on 7-of-11 from the floor as a reserve on Monday.

2. Bulls SF Doug McDermott (shin) sat out Monday and is day-to-day.

3. Chicago breezed to a 118-88 win at Brooklyn in the first meeting on Oct. 31.

PREDICTION: Bulls 110, Nets 99

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