FINAL FROM DENVER: Denver 135, Bulls 105 (Bulls 10-35, 5-19 on the road)
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: Markkanen: 27 points. Denver: Murray: 25 points.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Portis: 13. Denver: Beasley: 9.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: LaVine: 6. Denver: Jokic: 11.
CCI RECAP: A promising start for the Bulls was a brief flirtation as the Nuggets scored a combined 75 points over the second and third quarters respectively. Jamal Murray, a rising big time star, scored 22 in the third quarter. Jokic was Jokic: 18-8-11 in 25 minutes. The Nuggets outscored the Bulls beyond the arc, 60-30. The Bulls have lost 12 straight in Denver. Bright sports for the Bulls...Lauri Markkanen buried five-three pointers and finished with a 27-10 game. Markkanen has buried eight- three point field goals over the last two games. Robin Lopez and Jabari Parker combined for 32 points off the bench. Parker sat the first two games on the trip but responded the last three games averaging 14 points and six rebounds shooting a sizzling 63%. Chandler Hutchison recorded his third straight double figure scoring game (12 points). Hutchison is shooting 60% from the floor the past three games. Bobby Portis started for the injured Wendell Carter Jr. (left thumb injury) and registered a double-double of 10 points 13 rebounds.
The Bulls have now dropped nine straight, winless in 2019 and are looking for a turn around Saturday against the Heat as Miami will play tonight in Detroit.
CCI IN THE LOCKER ROOM: “We were hanging in that first half and obviously Lauri was terrific. From the third quarter on, that game flipped and we didn’t respond very well. I thought there were moments we let their shot making affect our energy and effort.” Coach Boylen
UP NEXT: Home with Miami Saturday.
CCI 24 SECONDS NBA NEWS AND NOTES
Los Angeles Lakers 138, Oklahoma City 128 OT. Kyle Kuzma pumped in 32. Zubac (CCI is a big fan) 26 and 12.
Washington 101, New York 100. The game was played in London and the Wizards won the contest with 0.4 seconds left as NY’s Alonzo Trier was called for goal tending on a hoop by Thomas Bryant. The Knicks have lost five straight.
Charlotte 114, Sacramento 95. Kamba Walker went over the 11-thousand career point total. Walker scored 23 points. The Hornets bench outscored the Kings reserves 60-44.
Philadelphia 120, Indiana 96. A statement game for the 76ers on the road. Embiid with 22-13-8. Philly has won 7 of its last 9 games. The 76ers registered 38 assists.
Toronto 111, Phoenix 109. Pascal Siakam’s layup at the buzzer won it for the Raps. Toronto has won eight straight at home.
Thanks for reading CCI. Reach out: cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls. Always a pleasure!