CHICAGO -- — Nikola Vucevic had 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and the Chicago Bulls handed the Denver Nuggets their second straight loss with a 129-121 victory on Monday night.

Zach LaVine scored 21 points and Lonzo Ball had 18 for Chicago, which had lost seven of eight. Ayo Dosunmu added 17 points.

The Bulls went 24 for 53 from 3-point range and had seven players score in double figures.

Denver wasted another impressive performance by Nikola Jokic, who had 33 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds in his sixth triple-double in his last seven games. The three-time MVP has an NBA-best 21 triple-doubles this season.

Christian Braun scored 28 points for Denver. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. each had 18.

The Bulls grabbed the lead for good when they opened the fourth quarter with a 13-0 run. Dalen Terry made a 3-pointer and a layup before Matas Buzelis drove inside for a dunk after Aaron Gordon fell down, making it 108-96 with 8:51 left.

Terry finished with 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting.

Chicago used a 12-0 run to take a 90-88 lead with 2 minutes left in the third quarter. Buzelis capped the stretch by powering to the rim for a dunk over Peyton Watson.

But Jokic drove inside for a jam and made a technical foul shot to send Denver into the fourth with a 96-95 lead.

Takeaways

Nuggets: Struggled from long range, going 6 for 27 from behind the arc.

Bulls: Josh Giddey provided a lift with 12 points and 10 assists.

Key moment

Denver closed to 121-118 on Murray's jumper with 2:22 left. But LaVine responded with a 3 for Chicago.

Key stat

Led by Terry and Patrick Williams, Chicago had a 41-10 advantage in bench points.

Up next

Denver visits the New York Knicks on Wednesday night. Chicago opens a three-game trip at Boston on Wednesday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Nikola Jokic vs. Nikola Vucevic (Christian Braun gains possession)	0	0
11:43	Jamal Murray makes 1-foot driving dunk (Nikola Jokic assists)	0	2
11:19	Josh Giddey makes 22-foot driving floating jump shot (Zach LaVine assists)	2	2
10:59	Christian Braun makes layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	2	4
10:49	Nikola Vucevic misses 27-foot three point jumper	2	4
10:46	Josh Giddey offensive rebound	2	4
10:42	Nikola Vucevic misses layup	2	4
10:42	Nikola Vucevic offensive rebound	2	4
10:37	Nikola Vucevic makes two point shot	4	4
10:31	Nikola Jokic makes 5-foot two point shot (Russell Westbrook assists)	4	6
10:20	Lonzo Ball makes 25-foot three point jumper (Nikola Vucevic assists)	7	6
10:06	Michael Porter Jr. makes 1-foot dunk (Jamal Murray assists)	7	8
9:54	Ayo Dosunmu makes 27-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)	10	8
9:53	Nuggets Full timeout	10	8
9:37	Michael Porter Jr. misses 20-foot pullup jump shot	10	8
9:35	Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound	10	8
9:28	Zach LaVine misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	10	8
9:25	Christian Braun defensive rebound	10	8
9:17	Lonzo Ball blocks Jamal Murray's layup	10	8
9:13	Zach LaVine defensive rebound	10	8
9:02	Nikola Vucevic misses 10-foot two point shot	10	8
9:01	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	10	8
8:59	Nikola Jokic bad pass (Josh Giddey steals)	10	8
8:53	Lonzo Ball misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot	10	8
8:49	Christian Braun defensive rebound	10	8
8:42	Jamal Murray misses 10-foot two point shot	10	8
8:39	Lonzo Ball defensive rebound	10	8
8:33	Nikola Vucevic misses 26-foot three point jumper	10	8
8:30	Jamal Murray defensive rebound	10	8
8:18	Russell Westbrook makes 20-foot step back jumpshot (Nikola Jokic assists)	10	10
8:07	Nikola Vucevic misses driving floating jump shot	10	10
8:06	Nikola Vucevic offensive rebound	10	10
8:04	Ayo Dosunmu misses 24-foot three point jumper	10	10
8:02	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	10	10
7:57	Christian Braun makes two point shot (Russell Westbrook assists)	10	12
7:41	Ayo Dosunmu misses two point shot	10	12
7:39	Ayo Dosunmu offensive rebound	10	12
7:31	Josh Giddey misses driving layup	10	12
7:31	Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound	10	12
7:21	Michael Porter Jr. misses 27-foot three point jumper	10	12
7:19	Nikola Vucevic defensive rebound	10	12
7:12	Josh Giddey makes 23-foot three point jumper (Zach LaVine assists)	13	12
6:48	Nikola Jokic makes driving layup (Jamal Murray assists)	13	14
6:44	Jamal Murray shooting foul	13	14
6:44	Ayo Dosunmu misses free throw 1 of 2	13	14
6:44	Bulls offensive team rebound	13	14
6:44	Matas Buzelis enters the game for Lonzo Ball	13	14
6:44	Ayo Dosunmu makes free throw 2 of 2	14	14
6:33	Nikola Jokic bad pass (Josh Giddey steals)	14	14
6:16	Ayo Dosunmu bad pass (Nikola Jokic steals)	14	14
6:12	Nikola Jokic makes two point shot	14	16
6:06	Matas Buzelis makes 1-foot alley oop dunk shot (Zach LaVine assists)	16	16
5:49	Christian Braun makes driving layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	16	18
5:35	Nikola Vucevic misses 26-foot three point jumper	16	18
5:32	Michael Porter Jr. defensive rebound	16	18
5:29	Michael Porter Jr. bad pass (Nikola Vucevic steals)	16	18
5:26	Nikola Vucevic bad pass (Michael Porter Jr. steals)	16	18
5:21	Nikola Jokic makes dunk (Christian Braun assists)	16	20
5:12	Matas Buzelis makes 23-foot three point jumper (Nikola Vucevic assists)	19	20
4:59	Jamal Murray misses 20-foot step back jumpshot	19	20
4:57	Matas Buzelis defensive rebound	19	20
4:46	Nikola Vucevic makes 9-foot two point shot (Zach LaVine assists)	21	20
4:29	Jamal Murray makes 17-foot pullup jump shot	21	22
4:15	Nikola Vucevic makes 2-foot hook shot (Josh Giddey assists)	23	22
4:05	Patrick Williams enters the game for Ayo Dosunmu	23	22
4:05	Aaron Gordon enters the game for Michael Porter Jr.	23	22
4:05	Peyton Watson enters the game for Jamal Murray	23	22
3:58	Christian Braun makes 24-foot three point jumper (Nikola Jokic assists)	23	25
3:37	Nikola Jokic blocks Nikola Vucevic 's 7-foot two point shot	23	25
3:33	Patrick Williams offensive rebound	23	25
3:32	Patrick Williams misses 4-foot two point shot	23	25
3:30	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	23	25
3:28	Russell Westbrook makes two point shot (Nikola Jokic assists)	23	27
3:28	Matas Buzelis defensive goaltending violation	23	27
3:28	Bulls Full timeout	23	27
3:09	Nikola Vucevic makes 13-foot two point shot (Josh Giddey assists)	25	27
2:44	shot clock turnover	25	27
2:44	Julian Strawther enters the game for Christian Braun	25	27
2:30	Nikola Vucevic bad pass (Peyton Watson steals)	25	27
2:26	Nikola Jokic makes dunk (Peyton Watson assists)	25	29
2:16	Nikola Vucevic makes 26-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)	28	29
1:53	Russell Westbrook misses 22-foot three point jumper	28	29
1:51	Patrick Williams defensive rebound	28	29
1:45	Nikola Vucevic offensive foul	28	29
1:45	Nikola Vucevic turnover	28	29
1:45	Talen Horton-Tucker enters the game for Josh Giddey	28	29
1:45	Lonzo Ball enters the game for Nikola Vucevic	28	29
1:45	Jalen Smith enters the game for Matas Buzelis	28	29
1:45	Jamal Murray enters the game for Russell Westbrook	28	29
1:28	Aaron Gordon misses 5-foot two point shot	28	29
1:25	Jalen Smith defensive rebound	28	29
1:16	Julian Strawther shooting foul	28	29
1:16	Zach LaVine makes free throw 1 of 2	29	29
1:16	Zach LaVine makes free throw 2 of 2	30	29
59.1	Nikola Jokic makes 6-foot two point shot (Aaron Gordon assists)	30	31
48.1	Patrick Williams makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot (Talen Horton-Tucker assists)	32	31
39.1	Aaron Gordon makes driving layup	32	33
31.1	Zach LaVine traveling	32	33
9.1	Jamal Murray misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	32	33
8.1	Nuggets offensive team rebound	32	33
8.1	Talen Horton-Tucker loose ball foul	32	33
1.1	Aaron Gordon makes 1-foot alley oop dunk shot (Nikola Jokic assists)	32	35
0.0	Lonzo Ball misses 67-foot three point jumper	32	35
0.0	Bulls offensive team rebound	32	35
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	32	35

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

United Center

Chicago, IL

Date & Time

1:00 AM, January 28, 2025

Coverage

NBA League Pass, CHSN, ALT2/KTVD, Altitude Sports

Attendance

19,661

Referees

Brian Forte, Curtis Blair, John Butler

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	46	15	.754	W1
Denver	37	23	.617	L1
Minnesota	37	23	.617	W2
Portland	29	32	.475	L1
Utah	18	42	.300	L5

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	44	14	.759	W2
Cleveland	37	24	.607	L2
Milwaukee	26	32	.448	L1
Chicago	24	36	.400	L11
Indiana	15	45	.250	L5

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Vucevic helps the Bulls hold off Jokic and the Nuggets for a 129-121 victory

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