Nikola's triple-double adds luster to Nuggets

CHICAGO - Although the Denver Nuggets were playing on the road, Nikola Jokic felt right at home on Tuesday night in the United Center.

Jokic had 19 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season, and the Nuggets rode a second-half surge to a 125-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Afterward, the 22-year-old Serbian celebrated the performance with a host of fans from his homeland.

"Chicago has the (biggest) Serbian population, I guess, after Belgrade, the capital," he said. "There are a lot of Serbians here and it's nice to play in front of that crowd with the Serbian flags. It's a good feeling for me."

All of Jokic's triple-doubles have come in Denver's past 12 games, but coach Michael Malone considered Tuesday a breakout performance.

"This is the Nikola Jokic everyone in Denver has been waiting to see," Malone said.

"I think he has been playing decent basketball, but tonight for him to score along with those rebounds and assists, it shows what a complete player he is."

Danilo Gallinari scored 22 points and Wilson Chandler added 20 as Denver, which entered the game fourth in the NBA in scoring (110.6 points per game), posted a 69-48 advantage in the second half to erase a halftime deficit.

Gary Harris and Will Barton had 15 points apiece for the Nuggets.

Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo had 19 points apiece for Chicago, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.

Jimmy Butler finished with just eight points on 3-for-13 shooting.

"He just didn't get in the flow or rhythm," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said of Butler. "We ran a lot of actions that we run for Jimmy that he normally converts on."

Malone credited Chandler and Gallinari for Butler's lack of rhythm.

"One of the keys to guarding a guy like Jimmy is to not foul," the coach said. "He only went to the foul line two times."

Chicago had a 59-56 halftime lead and was up 68-60 early in the third quarter before Denver busted out to take a 91-83 advantage into the fourth.

The Nuggets were 11 of 20 from the field and 10 of 11 from the free-throw line in the third.

Denver carried the momentum into the final quarter, scoring the first eight points, capped by Gallinari's two 3-pointers, for a 99-83 lead.

The gap increased to 21 points (110-89) a few minutes later and the rout was on.

The Bulls had 10 offensive rebounds and a 10-2 edge in second-chance points in the first half, but were held to one offensive rebound and no second-chance points in the second half.

"We gave them a lot of second-chance points in the first half," Gallinari said.

Associated Press