Observations: Nikola Jokić scores 39 as Bulls lose another close game

In the Bulls’ penultimate game (15-18) before the All-Star break, the Denver Nuggets (19-15) zoomed in on Chicago and won 118-112. A game of revenge Artūras Karnišovas was not in the cards.

Here are 15 observations:

1. Wendell Carter Jr. told reporters after the morning shoot that Karnišovas was especially excited for this game – the first time the Bulls’ new executive vice-president team have taken on the organization for which he once served as manager. general. But the Bulls barely played like that early on, as the Nuggets sprinted to a 16-3 lead, edging 37-25 at the end of the first quarter.

2. The Bulls placed eighth in defensive scoring in an 8-6 month of February, but have shown signs of regression in this first quarter. The Nuggets shot 59.3% from frame and posted the 19th quarter over 35 points by an opponent of the Bulls this season.

3. Nikola Jokić dominated early, finishing 10 minutes of the first quarter with 8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks. His passing, in particular, bent the mind:

He entered the half with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, then came to life in the fourth with 17 more. He finished with a final line of 39 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists. Double him, he burns you with the pass. One lid, it will bruise you under the basket – or shoot over it. And he does it all with a rare herky-jerky rocket. A remarkable player, essential, for whom the Bulls had no answer.

4. Zach LaVine, meanwhile, only took his first shot more than six minutes into the first quarter, a Nuggets product throwing body waves at every turn, a trend that has continued throughout.

In turn, it wasn’t LaVine’s most explosive night – he finished with 23 – but he read the double teams he was taken against relatively reliably, finishing with 5 assists and a number of hockey passes. Caveat: An untimely trip with less than a minute to go marked his fourth and final renewal, and virtually clinched the victory for the Nuggets.

5. The Bulls fought back several times, and for a while, but the Nuggets always seemed to have an answer. After a push from Jamal Murray that pushed the visitor’s lead to 15 early in the second, the Bulls escaped to end the first half with just 62-55. A 5-0 Nuggets run to start the third prompted a timeout from Donovan just 32 seconds into the period – continuing his penchant for quick-triggering time calls when the Bulls spit.

But by the last minute of the third, the Bulls were back at 86-85 on the heels of a run that, you guessed it, was grabbed by the bench. On the strength of a 13-5 run to close third, they entered fourth behind just 89-87; Thad Young quickly had back-to-back hook shots to put the Bulls in the lead early in the fourth. The Nuggets did not score until nearly four minutes into the fourth, as the Bulls’ advantage climbed to six.

Eventually, however, they came back in force to claim a six-point victory.

6. The Bulls ‘reserves outscored the Nuggets’ 39-17, taking advantage of a slim Denver side playing without JaMychal Green, Paul Millsap, Gary Harris and Facundo Campazzo.

• Thad Young’s Stupid Stat Line Alert: He finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and (one season draw) 4 steals, making a big play after a big play all along.
• Denzel Valentine has entered Game 3 25-3 in his last six games, but has managed 3 of 8 tries in this one.
• Ryan Arcidiacono played 9 minutes, scoring 5 points, hitting a 3 and stealing in the third quarter
• Luke Kornet made two more 3s! He’s now 5-for-8 for the Bulls’ last two games after the start of the 1-for-14 season, and remains firmly anchored ahead of Daniel Gafford (DNP) in the rotation.
• Those four men, plus Coby White, formed the five-man unit that sprinted into the game in the third quarter. At some point between the third and the start of the fourth, they’ve scored 23 straight points for the Bulls.

7. The trio of Jokić (39), Murray (24) and Michael Porter Jr. (17) combined for 70 points. Murray delivered a fastbreak 3 dagger to put the Nuggets ahead 112-108 with 1:39 to go. Playing shorthanded, the big guns of the Nuggets were delivered.

8. White struggled to get a 4-point, 2-assists and 2-turnovers line in the first period, but came to life to 11 in the third quarter, 16 in the second. Although his final shooting line – 7 for 17, 2 for 7 deep – left something to be desired, he found a way to make a big impact, lowering 10 boards for his third point-rebounding double-double of the season and leads the Bulls with 37 minutes.

9. Patrick Williams has beaten double figures for the fifth time in his last seven games. He picked up a crucial block in the fourth quarter on Jokić, and, well, was submerged on the next possession.

ten. The Bulls shot just 27 for 48 in the paint.

12. Positive points: the Bulls only made 10 turnovers in the evening …

13. … scored 28 points, a season high, on the fastbreak (and limited the Nuggets to 9) …

14. … and limited the Nuggets to just 20 free throw attempts, winning 22 on their own. For most of the season, the Bulls have been one of the happiest teams in the league on defense and languished near the basement in charity tryouts by night.

15. The Bulls came in second in the NBA in “clutch” games this season – competitions within a five-point margin with five minutes or less to go – with 20. They played another tonight, but the loss brings their record to 9-12 in such games, the league’s last 10. They hang around in almost every game, but the bump escapes them.

Next stop: the New Orleans pelicans on Wednesday. Then the All-Star break.

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