Skip Bayless expounds on Chicago Bulls winning against Kevin Durant stellar performance: “Bulls have been giant killers”
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets had a rough time out in Chicago on Wednesday. Their massive 12-game win streak that saw the team end 2022 with a win and kick off 2023 with another was finally brought to an end by the Bulls' 121-112 victory. Considering how dominant the Nets have looked in recent weeks, betting odds had the team as sizable favorites.
When the two teams matched up, it was the Chicago Bulls who jumped out to an early lead behind budding young talent Patrick Williams. Early on, the Nets struggled to find their rhythm, with Kyrie Irving attempting to find his 3-point shot to no avail. Heading into halftime, the Bulls were up 10 over second-place Brooklyn.
Although a late-game push by the Nets managed to close the lead, the Bulls remained ahead. With less than a minute to go, the Nets tried to muster one final push that ultimately failed. Considering the underwhelming year by the Chicago Bulls (17-21) so far, the win was a massive one.
The way Skip Bayless sees things, the Bulls have become "giant killers." Although the team has undoubtedly struggled, they've found a way to show up for big games, with two wins against each of the top three teams in the East (Boston, Milwaukee and Brooklyn). On "Undisputed," Bayless talked about the situation and Durant's 44 points:
"I loved what Kevin said after the game. Because he is so right. They won 12 in a row. That put the rest of this league on notice. They can do that. ... The problem is that the Bulls have been giant killers all year long. They've played much better against the best teams. They've won all five against all of these top teams, and here we go again last night."
You can see his comments in the video above beginning around the 2:30 mark.
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets' roller coaster of a season
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This season has been an absolute roller-coaster ride for Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets (25-13). Going into the season, many predicted that with Ben Simmons back healthy once more that the team could stake its place as a true contender in the East. Despite that, things got off to a rough start. In several games early on, Simmons fouled out.
The team then struggled with Kyrie Irving's off-court controversy that saw him suspended for repeatedly failing to apologize for sharing antisemitic material. Plus, while in the midst of Irving's controversy, the team parted ways with coach Steve Nash on Nov. 1.
Fortunately for the Brooklyn franchise and its fans, the promotion of Jacque Vaughn to head coach served as somewhat of a turning point. By the time Irving returned to the floor, Simmons had begun to find his rhythm. As the team's big three found success on the floor together, the wins started to come.
The Nets jumped up the Eastern Conference standings, shocking the rest of the teams as they cemented their place as legitimate threats. Although their latest loss ended their win streak, it seems this season is only getting going for Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.
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