The Denver Nuggets improved to 6-8 on the season with a 110-107 win over the Chicago Bulls. This is the 10th consecutive time the Nuggets have beaten the Bulls at the Pepsi Center. It’s also the 16th loss in 17 tries in Denver for the Bulls. The loss drops the Bulls to 9-6, but you have to wonder if they think they let this one get away. With the score tied at 107 and 9 seconds left in the game Will Barton hit two free throws to give the Nuggets the lead. Isaiah Canaan missed a 3-point shot with 4 seconds left to try and give the Bulls the lead. The Bulls fouled Danilo Gallinari as the clock expired. Gallinari hot one of two free throws to get the game to it’s final score of 110-107.
The Bulls got off to a good start and built an 11 point lead on a couple of occasions in the 1st quarter. Then towards the end of the quarter the Bulls took a 14 point lead, but Nikola Jokic hit a jumper to end the quarter and make the score 31-19 Chicago.
The 2nd quarter saw the teams fortunes change as the Nuggets scored the first 22 points of the quarter to take a 10 point lead at 41-31. Dwayne Wade final got the Bulls on the board in the 2nd quarter when he hit a 3-pointer. The Bulls tied the game at 50 all, but Denver took a 6 point lead again at 56-50 and going into halftime we had a tie game at 60 all.
The biggest lead any team saw in the 3rd quarter was 7 points as the Nuggets did took those leads towards the end of the quarter. The quarter itself was very even as the Nuggets managed to outscore the Bulls by 3 points 31-28 and take a 91-88 lead heading into the 4th quarter.
After the Bulls tied the game at 93 the Nuggets ran off 6 straight points to take the lead at 99-93. The Bulls tied the game again at 99 all, but could never take the lead. The Bulls tied the game one more time at 107 apiece, but the Nuggets hit 3 of there four free throws down the stretch to take the victory 110-107.
Jamal Murray came off the Nuggets bench to lead them in scoring with 24 points. Wilson Chandler also added 16 points off the bench. Danilo Gallinari scored 15 points, Jusuf Nurkic had a double-double scoring 14 points and grabbing a game high 14 rebounds. Will Barton and Jameer Nelson each scored 10 points and Nelson handed out a team high 7 assists.
All five Bulls starters scored in double figures led by Jimmy Butler who had a game high 35 points. Dwayne Wade added 22 points while Rajon Rondo had a double-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds and also had a game high 8 assists. Taj Gibson also had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Robin Lopez also had 12 points while Nikola Mirotic came off the Bulls bench to score 11 points.
The Nuggets (6-8) take the court again tonight as they are on the road to face the 7-8 Utah Jazz. The Bulls (9-6) have one more game left on there current road trip. Friday night they’ll take on the 4-10 Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center.
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