Live Game Thread: Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 PM EST

It’ll be good to get home, won’t it?

Brooklyn finishes up a 5-game, 11-day road trip on Tuesday night in Chicago where they’ll take on a Bulls team that is barely clinging onto life in that 11th spot in the East; they’re hoping to catch the Wizards and make their way into the play-in tournament.

Chicago has won three in a row, and enters the night 3.5 games behind the Wizards. Again, a tall task, but you hate to get these games on the schedule (on the road, a young team with plenty to play for) if you’re the Nets.

Join us on Clubhouse after the game for a live chat - well, about the game:

WHO: Brooklyn Nets (44-24) at Chicago Bulls (29-39)

WHEN: 8:00 PM EST

WHERE: YES2 (tv), WFAN (radio)

Game Preview.

The Nets can hope that they have something left over from their late-game defense on Nikola Jokic to handle the other Nikola, Vucevic. This will be the fifth time they will face their nemesis this season, three times with Magic before the trade deadline and once with the Bulls after. So far, this season, he’s averaging 26.5 points and 13.5 boards vs. Brooklyn, with a 2-2 record. That’s just a bit above his season averages of 23.9 and 11.6 but as any Nets fan can tell you, he steps up when he sees the black-and-white.

The Nets, primarily using Blake Griffin and Nic Claxton, held Jokic to 5-of-14 shooting in the second half Saturday night in Denver. That and the third quarter heroics of Griffin and Kyrie Irving saved the day. The performances of Griffin and Claxton had to give Nash some positive vibes. Both players are getting better as the season winds down. Griffin is transitioning into a new role, perhaps as the starting 5, and Claxton is simply recovering from quarantine after testing positive for COVID.

For more on the Bulls, check out Blog a Bull.