One other double-digit lead.
One other endgame meltdown.
And one other Nets loss, this one 116-110 Thursday evening in Chicago earlier than a sellout crowd of 21,647 at United Middle.
Brooklyn was up by 12 within the waning seconds of the third quarter, solely to cough up a 27-9 run over the subsequent 9 minutes spanning into the fourth.
The silver lining for the Nets (22-44) was transferring into sole possession of fifth place within the lottery race, a half-game forward of Philadelphia.
They’re a full recreation forward of seventh-place Toronto, and have a more durable remaining schedule than both the 76ers or Raptors, each of whom have been idle on Thursday.
Cam Thomas had 24 factors, a career-high 10 assists and 6 rebounds.
Nic Claxton had 18 factors and 14 boards.
However the Nets received outworked and outhustled within the fourth quarter, getting crushed to the ball and dropping for the ninth time in 10 video games.
The Bulls received their fourth straight to solidify their lead over Brooklyn for the ultimate Jap Convention Play-In spot.
With level guard Josh Giddey sidelined, the Bulls ran the offense via Coby White, who poured in a game-high 31 factors.
However the Nets — which led 92-80 with seconds left within the third — received outscored 34-18 within the fourth.
They shot simply 29.6 p.c and 2-of-12 from deep as they collapsed down the stretch.
Brooklyn stormed out of the gate, reeling off the primary eight unanswered factors of the evening.
However they conceded a 20-7 run, together with the final 10 to fall behind 26-21.
The Nets answered again with a 9-1 blitz, and Thomas’ 3-pointer capped one other 20-7 run to place them forward 50-43.
Thomas handed out a career-high tying eight assists earlier than the primary half even ended. His gravity began drawing doubles within the second half.
Brooklyn padded that cushion to 92-80 when Day’Ron Sharpe discovered Keon Johnson for a layup with :20.4 left within the third quarter.
However they coughed up an prolonged 17-3 run during the last six minutes spanning the intervals, happening 97-95 on Patrick Williams’ bucket with 6:17 to play.
The deficit reached 113-105 with a minute left on Kevin Huerter’s free throw, and Brooklyn by no means recovered.
Noah Clowney was out Thursday with a proper ankle harm suffered when he got here down on an opponent’s foot two nights earlier.
He returned to complete to complete that loss at Cleveland, however after being listed as questionable in opposition to the Bulls he was downgraded to out.
The Nets didn’t need to face Josh Giddey, who had sprained his proper ankle within the fourth quarter the evening earlier than.
The purpose guard had averaged 23.1 factors, 10.9 rebounds and eight.4 assists on 52.2 p.c capturing from the sector within the prior 9 video games.
Killian Hayes has rejoined G League Lengthy Island, after not being given a second 10-day contract with Brooklyn.
The purpose guard appeared in six NBA video games — 5 of them begins — for Brooklyn, averaging 9.0 factors, 5.2 assists and three.0 rebounds.
