Chicago Bulls Flash Promise Before Momentum Shifts Vs. Nuggets

The Chicago Bulls briefly found their stroke from long distance Sunday, before a third-quarter lull ended in a loss to the Denver Nuggets, 133-128.

Head coach Tiago Splitter’s squad fell to 1-2 in the preseason after leading by as many as 15 points in the second quarter.

Chicago’s first road preseason contest saw them shoot 57 percent from the field in the first half, including 52 percent on three-point makes. However, that number cooled off considerably to 2 of 10 in the third quarter and 42 percent for the game.

Leonard Miller led the charge with 26 of the Bulls’  75 bench points.

Five Bulls finished in double figures: Miller, Matas Buzelis, Buddy Hield, Jalen Smith and no. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson. Josh Giddey dished out a team-high eight assists. Tre Jones had five, all in the first two quarters.

The Bulls committed 31 fouls to the Nuggets' 16.

Denver established an early paint presence, outscoring Chicago 16-8 in the paint in the first quarter. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić scored 16 first-half points to lead the Nuggets.

Trailing by two at the end of the first quarter, Chicago blazed to a 10-2 run to open the second frame. Threes from Hield and Smith, plus a layup from Buzelis on a feed from Giddey forced Denver to call timeout. The Bulls outscored the Nuggets, 41-30, in the second quarter.

Wilson hit a three-point buzzer-beater to put the Bulls up by nine points at halftime. He also blocked a jump shot from Jamal Murray. Wilson finished with 17 points on 6 of 10 shooting.

The Nuggets found their three-point stroke and rode starters Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson into the third quarter. Johnson hit a trey midway through the quarter, Gordon scored a game-high 13 points in the third quarter, and Jokić added eight of Denver’s 15 boards as Denver put up 40 points en route to a five-point lead.

Gordon finished with 25 points to lead Denver. The Nuggets went 8 for 14 on three-pointers in the second half, finishing at a 40 percent clip for the game.

Jordan Hawkins made his Bulls preseason debut Sunday. Hawkins made his first two field goal attempts, both three-point jump shots, to open Chicago’s fourth quarter. He signed a two-way contract with Chicago on Tuesday after three seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Bulls rolled with a starting lineup of Giddey, Isaac Okoro, Buzelis, Wilson, and Smith. Smith returned to the lineup from a left foot injury; Buzelis got the green light to play after leaving Friday’s game vs. the Memphis Grizzlies early with a tweaked ankle.

Denver opened with starters Murray, Johnson, Gordon, Jokić, and Christian Braun.

Norman Powell was out due to general rest; Splitter noted that Tobe Awaka hurt his knee in Friday’s game vs. the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Bulls will visit the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night for their penultimate preseason game. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on CHSN.