CHICAGO — The Nets made a second-half comeback, but, like so often this season, it wasn’t enough, and now they’re officially eliminated from the playoffs.
Doug McDermott scored 25 points and Jimmy Butler added 22 to help the Bulls beat the Nets 118-102 on Thursday night.
It’s the third straight 20-plus point game for McDermott as Chicago moved a half-game in front of idle Detroit into eighth place and the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Bobby Portis added 12 points and 14 rebounds.
The injury-ravaged Bulls raced to a 24-point lead in the second quarter, then held on and finally finished off the lowly Nets, who outscored Chicago 37-24 in the third and closed to within four points early in the fourth.