Bulls crush Nets to snap six-game skid

Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls moved within 1 1/2 games of 10th place and the final play-in spot in Eastern Conference with a dominant 131-87 victory on Friday night to end a six-game skid.

That's more like it. 44-point Bulls Win! pic.twitter.com/DoLaLFBHNm

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 25, 2023

The Bulls held Brooklyn to a season low in points in front of 21, 286 spectators at United Center; its previous worst was 92 in a loss to Boston in December.

The Nets also lost by their biggest margin this season, one point worse than a defeat by the Celtics on Feb. 1.

“I thought collectively as a group, the group was pretty connected on both ends with the way they played,” Chicago coach Billy Donovan said.

Zach LaVine scored 32 points on 12-of-17 shooting, Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond each had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls. All-Star DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams each finished with 17 points.

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“I think that’s what we have to do from here on out and throw everything at these last 22 games because we understand where we are,” LaVine said. “We have to put that type of energy into it.”

The Bulls opened a 101-51 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Cam Thomas, who came off the bench, led the Nets with 22 points. Seth Curry had 19 and Mikal Bridges scored 13.

Brooklyn played without Ben Simmons, who will sit out at least one more with left knee soreness.

“We really have to be the hardest-playing team in the NBA,” Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn said. “When we don’t, this can happen.

Nets visit the Atlanta Hawks while the Bulls host Washington Wizzards on Sunday.