Heartbreak in Brooklyn. Honestly, there is no other way to describe it. If you were looking for the Chicago Bulls basketball game score from Friday night, you probably already know the final was a stinging 112-109 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. But the score only tells a fraction of the story.
It was a rollercoaster. A mess. A miracle that almost happened, then vanished.
The Bulls headed into the Barclays Center on January 16, 2026, looking to build some momentum. Instead, they spent three quarters looking like they had forgotten how to play professional basketball. They fell behind by 20 points early in the fourth quarter. It felt over. Fans were probably already switching channels to see what was happening with the Blackhawks or checking their phones for literally anything else.
Then, the "clutch Bulls" decided to show up.
The Drama Behind the Chicago Bulls Basketball Game Score
Chicago didn't just crawl back; they sprinted. Led by a massive fourth-quarter effort from Jalen Smith and Ayo Dosunmu, the Bulls erased a 92-72 deficit. It was a 37-point fourth quarter for Chicago.
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Basically, the Nets forgot how to handle the ball. Brooklyn coughed up back-to-back-to-back turnovers, and the Bulls turned those mistakes into gold. Tre Jones hit a layup with just 11.4 seconds left on the clock to give Chicago a 109-108 lead. It was their first lead since the very opening minutes of the game.
But then, reality set in.
Michael Porter Jr.—who has been playing like an All-Star lately—spoiled the party. He slipped through the defense for a go-ahead layup with 5.4 seconds remaining. Chicago had one last chance to save themselves, but they completely fumbled the inbound play. Tre Jones threw the ball directly to Brooklyn’s rookie Drake Powell, and that was that. Free throws iced it.
Why the Bulls Lost This One
You can't win many games when you give up 19 three-pointers. That’s been the Achilles' heel for this squad all season. While the Bulls shot a respectable 11-of-31 from deep, the math just doesn't work when the other team is outscoring you by 24 points from beyond the arc.
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Also, the second quarter was a disaster. Chicago scored only 17 points and went over four minutes without a single bucket. You just can't have those "dead zones" in the modern NBA and expect to walk away with a win on the road.
Individual Performances of Note:
- Nikola Vucevic: 19 points, 6 rebounds (Solid, but they needed more interior dominance).
- Matas Buzelis: 15 points (Showed some real spark in the second half).
- Jalen Smith: 14 points, 13 rebounds (12 of those points came during the frantic fourth-quarter comeback).
- Coby White: 17 points (A bit of a quiet night by his standards).
What Most People Get Wrong About This Team
People see a 112-109 score and think it was a "good, close game." It wasn't. It was a bad game that the Bulls turned into a thriller through sheer desperation.
The Bulls are currently sitting at a 19-22 record. They aren't terrible, but they aren't quite "there" yet. The loss to Brooklyn was especially painful because the Nets had been on a five-game losing streak. These are the games you have to win if you want to avoid the play-in tournament drama later this spring.
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What’s Next for the Chicago Bulls?
The good news? They don't have to wait long for revenge.
The Bulls and Nets are playing a home-and-home series. This means the Nets are heading to the United Center this Sunday, January 18, 2026. Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM local time. If you're heading to the game, gates open at 4:30 PM.
After that, things don't get much easier. The Bulls host the LA Clippers on Tuesday before heading out to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Thursday.
Actionable Next Steps for Bulls Fans:
- Watch the Perimeter: In the rematch on Sunday, keep an eye on how the Bulls defend the three-point line. If they let the Nets hit 15+ threes again, it's going to be another long night.
- Check the Injury Report: Keep a close eye on the status of the bench depth; the Bulls' starters looked gassed during the final two minutes of the Brooklyn game.
- Monitor the Trade Rumors: With the February trade deadline approaching and the Bulls hovering around .500, rumors regarding Zach LaVine’s fit continue to swirl.
- Tune into the Rematch: Catch the next game on NBC Sports Chicago or listen via 670 The Score to see if Billy Donovan makes the necessary defensive adjustments.