The Nets’ first-ever In-Season Tournament game went right down to the buzzer, the most dramatic inaugural game they could’ve imagined.
And the Nets couldn’t breathe until they forced a last-second miss by Zach LaVine, and Ben Simmons grabbed the clinching rebound to seal a 109-107 victory before a crowd of 20,645 at United Center.
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It was another fourth-quarter comeback for the Nets, and a third straight victory.
And this one got them off to just the right start in East Group C.
“Whenever you’re able to be a part of something new in the NBA, it’s a blessing,” said Simmons, who had eight points, six assists and nine rebounds — the last by far the most vital. “So it’s a great thing to be a part of, especially being the first ones to be part of it.”
Aside from his crucial rebound, Simmons delivered a thunderous dunk late in the third quarter.
The Nets’ Royce O’Neale drove up the court with the ball and slipped in Simmons, who had ghosted past the Bulls’ Patrick Williams.
Simmons leapt up and slammed it down for an easy dunk that silenced the Chicago fans.
However, Simmons also showed his offensive shortcomings when he sped towards the basket but missed what seemed an easy lay-up.
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Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 of his team-high 21 points in the first half while Mikal Bridges added 20 points to the team’s total of 109.
Spencer Dinwiddie — returning after spraining his ankle Monday in Charlotte — had 10 points and nine assists, seven in the first quarter alone.
The Nets used an 8-0 fourth-quarter run to go ahead.
And in the waning seconds, they used a great defensive stand by Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale — forcing LaVine into a missed runner with 14.3 seconds left — to stay ahead.
Bridges could’ve iced it at the free-throw line two seconds later, but missed his second attempt.
Chicago had one last chance, but Simmons wisely fouled LaVine before the Bulls star could put up a 3-point attempt.
He made the first, missed the second on purpose, and got his own offensive rebound.
But his 22-footer at the buzzer missed, and Simmons snatched the all-important rebound.
LaVine and DeMar DeRozan each had 24 points.
All games in the new tournament count in the regular season standings except for the final on December 9 in Las Vegas.
The 30 clubs were drawn into six groups of five, and each team will play a total of four tournament games this month to decide six group winners and two wildcard qualifiers for the quarter-finals.
The first win of the new competition went to the Indiana Pacers, who were fuelled by 27 points from Myles Turner in a 121-116 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tyrese Haliburton added 18 points and 13 assists for the Pacers, who led by as many as 18 but had to claw back after the Cavs, led by 38 points and nine assists from Donovan Mitchell, grabbed a four-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.
In Milwaukee, Damian Lillard scored 15 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, draining the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:03 to play as the Bucks held off the New York Knicks 110-105.
Milwaukee withstood 45 points from Jalen Brunson, whose three-pointer with 1:10 remaining put the Knicks up for the first time since the second quarter, 103-101.
Lillard drained a three-pointer and converted a three-point play to rebuild the Bucks’ lead, and two big blocks from Brook Lopez — who had eight — helped the Bucks maintain the edge.
Giannis Antetokounmpo added 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, who had six players score in double figures.
FULL NBA IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Pacers 121-116 Cavaliers
Bucks 110-105 Knicks
Heat 121-114 Wizards
Thunder 139-141 Warriors
Bulls 107-109 Nets
Trail Blazers 115-113 Grizzlies
Nuggets 125-114 Mavericks