Thanks to some big shot making down the stretch — and a poster dunk from Nikola Jokic — the Denver Nuggets were able to pull off a 118-112 victory over the Bulls in Chicago. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray played hero down the stretch as the Nuggets once 15-point lead almost slipped away from them, until it didn’t.
Jokic led the Nuggets to victory falling just shy of his ninth triple-double of the season with 39 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists on 17-of-28 shooting from the field. Not only was Jokic big all game, but he was massive in the fourth quarter as he scored 17 of his 39 points in the final quarter alone.
The Nuggets big three of Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. all had pretty solid games. Murray scored 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and shot 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Porter also had a solid scoring night with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, 2-of-4 from three to go along with 15 rebounds, which tied a career-high.
Will Barton III also scored in double-figures with 14 points and was the Nuggets only other player to do so besides the big three. As for the Nuggets bench unit, they struggled as Chicago’s second unit outscored the Nuggets (39-17) by 22 points. PJ Dozier and Vlatko Cancar provided a few solid minutes off the bench, but Denzel Valentine and Thaddeus young just had their way with the Nuggets second unit.
It ended up being all for not though as the Nuggets got it done late to pick up their 19th victory of the season. Denver is now 19-15 on the season with two more road games — Milwaukee and Indiana — before the all-star break.
The Nuggets have started their 4-game road trip strong with victories over the Thunder ands Bulls, but will now face a much tougher matchup tomorrow night against the Bucks. On the second night of a back-to-back, the Nuggets are pretty much playing with house money no matter what happens tomorrow night in Milwaukee.
One thing is certain and it’s that Denver had to find a way to win this game in Chicago and that is exactly what they did. Another unreal performance by Nikola Jokic, who continues to play at an MVP level.
