For the first time this season, the Brooklyn Nets are finally putting together a winning streak. Fueled by another impressive start from Michael Porter Jr. and one of their most solid defensive performances, the Nets managed to fend off the Chicago Bulls with a 113-103 victory Wednesday night at the United Center. This win marked their second consecutive triumph and the first back-to-back success of the year.

Jordi Fernández’s squad still has a challenging road ahead with a current standing of 5-16. However, the recent developments are undeniable. The defense has become more robust, the offensive play has found its rhythm, and contributions from the rookies are becoming increasingly significant. These improvements are beginning to reflect on the court.

Initially, neither team could find their groove, yet Porter propelled Brooklyn with an early surge, contributing 14 of the Nets’ first 19 points. Unfortunately, foul trouble sent him to the bench with just over three minutes left in the first quarter. Nevertheless, the team’s momentum remained unaffected. As the substitutions entered the game, both the offense and defense found their footing, allowing Brooklyn to extend their lead while Chicago struggled, shooting just 32% and committing five turnovers. By the end of the first quarter, the Nets had established a five-point lead and took control of the game.

Local favorite Danny Wolf, hailing from Glencoe, Illinois, had a strong support system in the crowd with over 100 friends and family members cheering him on, as reported by the YES Network broadcast. He sank his first 3-pointer of the night early in the second quarter, pushing Brooklyn’s lead to 13, which was their largest at that point. The Nets’ defense continued to stifle the Bulls, who didn’t manage their first field goal of the quarter until Josh Giddey made a contested drive over eight minutes in.

By halftime, the Bulls had only managed to score 44 points—Brooklyn’s best defensive half of the season—while shooting a mere 34.1%. Brooklyn, on the other hand, walked into the locker room with a comfortable 10-point lead, having extended the margin to 15 at one stage. Giddey was the sole Chicago player to reach double figures, and all 10 Nets who played in the first half contributed, particularly on defense, while Porter carried much of the scoring burden.

The Nets came out of the break with hot shooting from beyond the arc, pushing their lead to a commanding 17 points in the third quarter. However, the Bulls found their stride offensively, capitalizing on turnovers and reducing the gap to eight points as they headed into the final quarter. It wasn’t Brooklyn’s finest defensive quarter, with Chicago hitting 54.5% of their shots during that stretch.

However, the Nets went 14-for-26 from deep in the second half, more than enough to put Chicago away despite committing 15 turnovers over the final two quarters. Their 19 total made threes tied 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 Barclays Center on Thursday for a matchup with the Utah Jazz.