It was a rare win for the Brooklyn Nets tonight (112-109), who are still rebuilding in the aftermath of the failed “big three” era. Now, with a new young core, it’s Michael Porter Jr. who is leading the way, and his game against the Bulls today is his latest proof that he’s up for the task of being a team’s go-to scoring option.
Michael Porter Jr. hits the game-winner for the Nets to fend off a late flurry from Chicago 😤 pic.twitter.com/qKlAIHEkaF
— NBA (@NBA) January 17, 2026
In 32 minutes, he dropped 26 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block on 52.9% shooting and 50.0% shooting from three. Noah Clowney dropped 23 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and zero blocks on 41.2% shooting and 57.1% shooting from three. Off the bench, Day’Ron Sharpe dropped 14 points, six rebounds, three assists, zero steals, and zero blocks on 75.0% shooting from the field.
Nikola Vucevic led the way for the Bulls with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and four blocks on 64.3% shooting and 33.3% shooting from three. Ayo Dosunmu finished with 18 points, one rebound, one assist, one steal, and zero blocks on 53.8% shooting (0-2 from three). Finally, Coby White contributed 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals, and zero blocks on 55.6% shooting (1-1 from three).
Ultimately, this game was inconsequential for the Eastern Conference standings, but it’s an important sign for a Nets team seeking direction right now. As rumors circulate around Michael Porter Jr., the team must decide whether they want to keep or trade the young NBA swingman. At 27 years old, with averages of 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 48.6% shooting and 40.1% shooting from three, his value has never been higher, but there’s no rush for the Nets to trade him right now.
With another two years and $80 million on his deal, the Nets have time to wait and see how MPJ handles a role as the primary scoring option. After years of playing behind Jokic, he learned from the best, and those skills have translated well in his first season away from Denver. Tonight, he was highly efficient and effective on the court, finding his spots easily while playing within the flow of the game. More importantly, it resulted in a critical win that shows tangible signs of improvement.
“This is how a losing team becomes a winning team, winning games like this,” said Porter Jr. after the game. “We’re growing, we’re getting better.”
With 42.9% shooting as a team tonight, it was far from a pretty win for the Nets, but between Porter Jr.’s scoring and key contributions from across the roster, they were able to defend their home court for their 12th win of the season.
While this formula is hardly a recipe for long-term success in Brooklyn, it does suggest that Porter Jr. may be worthy of a bigger role than the third scoring option he had in Denver. This stint with the Nets, however long it lasts, is a chance for him to prove what he can do with no restrictions, and the results have been pretty solid so far.
The only thing left for the Nets is to decide their next step. Whether it’s trading Porter Jr. or building around him, the trajectory of their short and long-term future is directly tied to the 6’10” swingman.
