Denver’s preseason has been a quiet affair, but Sunday night local time at Ball Arena (Monday morning in Asia) gave the Denver Nuggets a real test and a reminder of what Nikola Jokic can do when a game tightens. The Nuggets beat the Chicago Bulls 133-128.
Nikola Jokic steers the comeback
Chicago led 68-59 at halftime after a 41-point second quarter. The Bulls were shooting well from deep, and Denver looked second best for long stretches.
Then the third quarter flipped the game. Denver outscored Chicago 40-26 to lead 99-94 entering the fourth. Aaron Gordon sparked the run with an early three and a driving dunk, and Jokic found him for a corner three with a no-look pass.
Jokic finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in just 26 minutes, and he had the triple-double wrapped up before the third quarter ended. Gordon led Denver with 25 points and 6 rebounds. Cam Johnson added 15, and Jamal Murray chipped in 13, a quiet but useful night for a player who has been the subject of trade chatter.
Coach David Adelman was encouraged by Gordon’s night. He said Gordon looks like he feels good, and he liked the pace Gordon played with in the third quarter and the way he got to the rim. Gordon has now scored in double figures in all three preseason games, and he has changed his game-day routine, arriving earlier and staying later for extra stretching.
DaRon Holmes II answered a late Chicago push with a dunk and free throws to seal it. Denver improved to 2-1 in the preseason.
Bulls find positives in defeat
Leonard Miller was Chicago’s standout, coming off the bench to score 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting, including four threes. Rookie Caleb Wilson added 17 points and 5 assists in a long night against one of the league’s best passers.
The Bulls also made life hard for Denver in transition with 16 fast-break points, and Adelman was not happy with his team’s defense after the win.
The regular season is coming up soon, but Denver still has two preseason games left, against the Clippers on Wednesday and the Lakers on Friday. Denver’s starters look ready, and Chicago has a young core with real shooting. The Jokic and Gordon pairing is the one to watch when the games start to count.
