The Denver Nuggets finally returned to winning ways by beating the Chicago Bulls 136-120 at the United Center on Saturday. The Nuggets looked in real danger of suffering a fourth straight defeat when the Bulls led by nine in the third quarter, but managed to turn things around and win resoundingly.
Nikola Jokic made history against the Bulls, passing Oscar Robertson for second all-time on the triple-double list by recording 22 points (7-12 FG), 14 rebounds, 17 assists, one steal, and four blocks. Jokic’s co-star, Jamal Murray, had a team-high 28 points (11-18 FG), to go with three rebounds and 11 assists. The Nuggets shot 57.6% from the field here and have improved to 34-19.
The Bulls, meanwhile, had a host of players make their debuts here after quite a roster shakeup at the trade deadline. Matas Buzelis was among those not shipped out, and he led the way with 21 points (7-13 FG), eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal. A total of seven players scored in double-digits, but the Bulls still suffered a fourth straight defeat to drop to 24-29.
A Disastrous Fourth Quarter For The Bulls
The Bulls actually entered the fourth quarter up 104-97. They had gone on a 16-2 run to end the third and had all the momentum by their side entering the final period. Unfortunately, they then laid an egg.
The Bulls did not make a field goal for the first six minutes of the fourth. Their only points in that time came from four free throws, and it was a disastrous stretch offensively.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, scored 24 points in those first six minutes to take complete control of this contest. It looked like they were going to be in a dogfight, but it ended up being a walk in the park.
The Bulls shot 5-17 (29.4%) from the field and 1-8 (12.5%) from beyond the arc in the fourth. They also committed a ridiculous nine turnovers, and this was about as bad as we’ve seen any team play in a quarter this season.
A Shaky Nuggets Defense
The Nuggets were without Aaron Gordon, Peyton Watson, and Spencer Jones here, and it showed. They are arguably the three best defenders on the team, and even a Bulls team that had so many new players was able to have plenty of success offensively for the first three quarters.
The Bulls racked up 36 points in the first quarter and then 29 in the second. That wasn’t great from a Nuggets standpoint, but it would get worse after the break. The Bulls got to 39 points in the third quarter, and it looked like they might even get close to 150 at that rate. Then that disastrous fourth quarter happened.
In the first three quarters, the Bulls shot 36-75 (48.0%) from the field and 19-43 (44.2%) from beyond the arc. That is not a recipe for success if you’re the Nuggets, but they got away with it here.
The Nuggets have now allowed at least 120 points in each of their last four games. Granted, one of those was a 134-127 double-overtime loss to the New York Knicks, but teams are finding it way too easy to score against them.
Gordon and Watson won’t be back for a while, so the Nuggets are in a bit of trouble here.
Cam Johnson Impresses On His Return
Jokic and Murray will dominate the headlines, but Cam Johnson was impressive on his return here as well. Johnson had been out with a right knee bone bruise and hyperextension since Dec. 23, 2025, and put up 14 points (6-9 FG), four rebounds, and one assist against the Bulls.
Johnson scored half of those points in the fourth quarter, recording seven points on 3-3 shooting from the field. He played his part in the Nuggets pulling away from the Bulls and coasting to victory.
With the likes of Gordon and Watson being out, the Nuggets need all the help they can get. Johnson had missed the last 23 games, and the hope would be that the injury bug stays away in the second half of the season.
