clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Historic night from three lifts Nets over Bulls, 124-96

By Anthony Puccio and Net Income

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

NBA: Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

We might be in the very late stages of the season, but the Brooklyn Nets are still playing with a purpose. They played so well, they almost set an NBA record in this one

In the first game of a home-and-home, both teams benefited from Brooklyn’s 124-96 victory in Chicago Saturday. The Bulls are now 7th in Draft order. Nets have won two in a row and will try for the fourth time this season. They’ll play the second part in Brooklyn on Monday, the final home game of the season.

The Nets had a historical night behind the 3-point line, which proved to be the main factor in the victory. They set a franchise record for most 3-pointers in a game with 24 and came within a Spencer Dinwiddie rattle-around miss of tying the NBA record for three’s in a game. Eight different Nets hit a three.

The previous high was 21. They also set a franchise-record 15th straight game with 10+ 3-pointers made, and it was also the first time in franchise history they hit 18+ threes in consecutive games.

Quincy Acy hit the three that tied the franchise record at 21 with 10:24 left in the fourth, which was fitting. Acy nailed a career-high six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 21 points.

Then, Joe Harris appropriately nailed the three that set the record at 22. Harris finished with 16 points on four threes.

This game took a turn in the second quarter following a 10-0 run from Brooklyn that brought a one-point lead to 11. They went up double digits and never looked back from that point on. It was a refreshing sign for the Nets, considering they’ve struggled to find leads and keep them.

Instead, they went up by as many as 22 points in the third quarter, then 32 in the fourth.

Along with Acy and Harris leading the charge, Allen Crabbe put home 20 points and five 3-pointers, extending his team record to 188 for the season with two games to go. Caris LeVert provided a spark off the bench with 13 points and eight assists, while D’Angelo Russell had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists.

The Nets assisted on 36 of 46 field goals, giving them 66 over the last two. The Nets also have 43 3-pointers in games vs. Bucks and Bulls.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (four steals) and Jarrett Allen (four blocks) set the tempo on the defensive end. They held Chicago to 21.4 percent shooting from deep. Only one Bull finished with more than 20 or more points – former Net Sean Kilpatrick, who was playing his fourth game against his former team since being cut in December.

THREE POINT SURGE

After last night’s 3-point barrage —24-of-55 is 43.6 percent, the Nets are now fifth in 3-point percentage since the All-Star Break, now 18th for the season. Nets are also second to Houston in 3-point attempts (35.3) and MAKES (12.7) for the year. Big improvement. What happened at All-Star Break?

INJURIES...

DeMarre Carroll remained out for Brooklyn with a hip strain. There is no timetable for his return. Meanwhile for Chicago, Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, Robin Lopez and Lauri Markkanen were all out.

No words necessary.

JORDAN BRAND CLASSIC

The Barclays Center will host the Jordan Brand Classic on Sunday, an event that features a doubleheader with the country’s best in the Boys All-American Game and the Girls All-American Game. Of course, the Brooklyn Nets will have their own first-round pick when these young men are eligible for the NBA Draft.

They hosted practice at HSS Training Center in Sunset Park.

Our Bryan Fonseca was there and spotted at least one Nets scout.

SECOND CITY NEWS

The Nets have two former Chicago high school stars on the roster: Milton Doyle, who stayed home and played at Loyola-Chicago, and Jahlil Okafor, who went to Duke. Doyle played eight minutes but didn’t score. Okafor was DNP-CD again. Timofey Mozgov did play, going for five points and five rebounds in six minutes late.

PORTIS NOT AMUSED BY NETS BENCH

Laughing and joking from the Nets’ bench didn’t sit well with Bobby Portis, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

‘‘For sure,’’ Portis said when he was asked if he took the Nets’ antics personally. ‘‘We’re down players, but that can’t happen. [Saturday] wasn’t our night, but we get to play against them again Monday.

‘‘Personally, I can’t wait to play. You know, them laughing and things like that. You can go out there and joke around, have some fun, but we need to do some things they did to beat us and be the tougher team.’’

****

The Nets are now 13-1 when holding opponents below 100 points.

For a different perspective, head on over to Blog-a-Bull.

More From NetsDaily