With a great Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets are relaunching in Chicago

After three straight losses, the Nuggets returned to winning ways with a 136-120 victory in Chicago. Good news for DenverCam Johnson and Christian Brown are back in the starting five.

Despite a busy week and a reshuffled team, the Bulls started the match with a lot of energy. Very aggressive with the ball in hand and skilled behind the arc, they also use Nuggets turnovers to stay in touch. Following the great Jokić, Denver scores 39 points in the first quarter, but Chicago keeps pace (36-39), driven by an already clearly visible collective effort.

The momentum continues at the start of the second quarter. Less than four minutes after the restart, Rob Dillingham’s 3-pointer allowed the Bulls to take the lead (46-44). The two teams went blow for blow, until Anfernee Simmons’ 4-pointer and Gershon Yabusele’s game-winning shot gave Chicago some relief. At the break, the Bulls lead 65-59, although Nikola Jokić is already close to a triple-double (9 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists).

Returning from the locker room, Chicago further emphasizes its “basketball hooray”. In the third quarter alone, the Bulls attempted 19 three-point shots and made eight. A run of four straight 3-pointers, including two from Jabusele, fueled an impressive 16-2 lead in the final minutes of the period. Denver, however, stays in touch thanks to its offensive consistency (38 points in the quarter), and despite the lead of the Bulls (104-97), the match is far from over.

The turning point comes at the beginning of the last quarter. The Bulls are silent for six minutes, while Nikola Jokić takes complete control of the game. Denver starts 12-0, then extends the streak to 20-2 and even 30-8. Highlights: Jokic is involved in passing on most baskets. The Nuggets make the difference in the paint, where Chicago suffers enormously, and definitely regain the lead, especially thanks to two consecutive 3-point shots from Jokic and Julian Strother.

Suffocated defensively and unable to find their address, the Bulls did not recover. Denver also relies on Jamal Murray (28 points, 11 assists) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (23 points) to finish quietly. Nikola Jokic finished the night with a historic triple-double (22 points, 17 assists, 14 rebounds), the 182nd of his career, and the Nuggets won 136-120, ending a three-game losing streak.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

Jokic passes Robertson. With 22 points, 17 assists and 14 rebounds, Nikola Jokić passed Oscar Robertson and became the player with the second-highest triple-doubles in NBA history. It was Jokić’s 182nd triple-double in the regular season, 19th this season and second in a row. He remains comfortably within striking distance of Russell Westbrook, who has 207.

Iabusele holder. Double-double as 7th man for his debut, and here’s Gershon Yabusele already starting for the Bulls. The Frenchman is like a fish in water in this rampant Bulls offense, and he plays in the same role as he did with the Sixers.

Warning for Murray. Jamal Murray left his teammates with four minutes left, while the Nuggets led by 15 points. The All-Star point guard suffered a hip injury, but David Adelman seemed pretty upbeat after the game.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.