Nic Claxton collected a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets executed in the final minutes of the fourth quarter after losing a 15-point lead in the third and earned a 123-115 victory over the Chicago Bulls Monday night in New York.
The Nets won consecutive games for the third time this season thanks to Claxton, who made 12 of 15 shots and surpassed his previous career high of 28 set against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 26, 2023. He recorded his 10th double-double and added four assists.
Claxton’s big night helped the Nets improve to 2-9 this season when Michael Porter Jr. is held out. Porter sat due to right knee tendinitis and rookie Egor Demin was rested.
Noah Clowney added 22 points as the Nets placed six in double figures and withstood blowing their big lead in the third.
Rookie Drake Powell added 14 and the Nets also got solid showings from first-year forward Danny Wolf and rookie guard Nolan Traore. Wolf contributed 13 while Traore finished with 13 and a career-high 13 assists.
Ziaire Williams added 11 off the bench as the Nets shot 51.1% and 48% from 3 (12 of 25), scored 66 points in the paint and survived committing 20 turnovers.
The Bulls dropped their fifth straight and fell for the eighth time in nine games.
Anfernee Simons led Chicago with 23 points and fellow newcomer Collin Sexton added 21 off the bench. Matas Buzelis contributed 18, Jaden Ivey had 13 and reserve Nick Richards finished with 12 for Chicago.
The Bulls shot 44%, missed 26 of 36 3-point tries and committed 18 turnovers in their third loss to the Nets this season.
Claxton scored 10 points in Brooklyn’s 15-3 spurt, his consecutive dunks putting the Nets ahead 51-43 with 3:50 left. They led 60-54 at the break.
The Nets’ largest lead was 74-59 early in the third quarter and they held a 14-point lead on a 3 by Powell with 4:27 left before the Bulls scored 16 of the final 18 points of the third to forge an 89-89 deadlock entering the fourth.
Terance Mann hit an open 3 for a 109-102 lead with 5:19 left following an errant pass by Simons. Claxton’s putback of Clowney’s miss opened a 117-107 lead with 1:57 left to clinch it for Brooklyn.
