Zach LaVine scored 12 of his 36 points in a pivotal stretch of the fourth quarter, DeMar DeRozan hit eight straight late free throws and the Chicago Bulls won in Denver for the first time since 2006, beating a Nuggets team 114-108 on Friday night that was without reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.
DeRozan finished 26 points, including a 12-for-12 performance at the line. LaVine and DeRozan were sizzling late in helping the Bulls end a 13-game skid in the Mile High City. The last time they won in Denver was Feb. 8, 2006.
LaVine was 5 of 6 down the stretch including two 3-pointers. He answered all of Denver’s big buckets. LaVine has now scored 20 or more points 15 times this season, tied with Kevin Durant of Brooklyn for most in the league.
Aaron Gordon had a season-high 28 points for the Nuggets, who’ve dropped three straight. Will Barton finished with 23 points.
Jokic sat courtside in a tan suit with a dark turtleneck, his sprained right wrist in a brace. He appeared to hurt the wrist on Thursday night in a lopsided loss to Philadelphia.
