The Chicago Bulls have lost twice to Brooklyn. Can the Nets win the season series?
The Brooklyn Nets can earn this rare highlight of what's become a lost season: Winning the season series against one Eastern Conference foe.
They can pull off that feat with a win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday evening.
The YES Network has coverage of the contest aired inside the Barclays Center for the 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff. Brooklyn has already claimed two wins against the Bulls.
Again, one more win hands the Nets the regular season series win over the Bulls at 3-1. But are the betting side of things catering toward Brooklyn or Chicago here?
Brooklyn is looking vastly depleted here.
Lead scorer Michael Porter Jr. is out due to right knee tendinitis. Even second-leading scorer Egor Demin is banged up and will sit this one out.
Meanwhile, two-way players Chaney Johnson, E.J. Liddell and Tyson Etienne are also out for this one...although those three likely wouldn't have earned minutes anyway.
So who does Brooklyn turn to here with Porter and Demin nursing injuries?
This could mean a heavier dosage of one of the newcomers via the NBA Trade Deadline. Ochai Agbaji of the Toronto Raptors and Josh Minott of the Boston Celtics bring a defensive acumen over to Brooklyn. That's greatly needed as the Nets have struggled on that side of the court throughout the season.
Perhaps even Hunter Tyson (Denver Nuggets) can earn minutes here too -- even if it means coming off the bench.
But Brooklyn is also without Cam Thomas already, as the franchise opted to waive him after struggling to find a trade suitor for the former second-leading scorer of the Nets.
Signs point to a rookie leading the way scoring wise, even with Demin out. Drake Powell and Nolan Traore are early contenders to start amid the two notable injuries involving Porter and Demin. Danny Wolf is another who'll likely earn extensive minutes.
Though Brooklyn can turn to Day'Ron Sharpe and Nic Claxton on the veteran side -- as both have become valuable scoring and rebounding options for the Nets. Especially in the absence of Porter.
Yet Brooklyn struggles immensely on offense when MPJ is never in the lineup. All the more reason why Chicago comes in as a slight four-point favorite here by FanDuel Sportsbook.
Brooklyn hasn't proven to consistently win when MPJ is out. Hence why Chicago likely covers the spread here.
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