The Denver Nuggets, the NBA’s top-scoring team, refused to be slowed by stingy Chicago as they attacked relentlessly to secure a 108-91 road victory over the league-leading Bulls on Monday.
Ty Lawson led the charge with 27 points and nine rebounds, while Arron Afflalo added 22 to give the Nuggets (27-23) a much-needed win in the third of their seven-game road trip.
The triumph kept Denver level with Utah and Houston for the seventh-best record in the tight West race.
Photo: AFP
East leaders Chicago, on the other hand, remained three-and-a-half games in front of Miami, who also lost on Monday.
Averaging more than 103 points per game entering the night, Denver broke loose from the Bulls in the third quarter where they outscored Chicago 27-16 to take control.
Playing with dizzying pace, the Nuggets were able to score 54 points inside the paint against one of the league’s top defenses as they turned a two-point halftime lead into a romp.
“This was not our type of game. It was up and down, free and easy,” Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. “We let our guard down and you can’t do that.”
The Bulls had been thriving in the absence of Derrick Rose, who missed his seventh straight game with a groin injury, but they lacked firepower.
Reserve point guards C.J. Watson, starting in Rose’s absence, and John Lucas each had 17 points to lead the Bulls (40-11), who saw their four-game winning streak end.
Chicago have a 12-5 record without Rose this season. They have dealt with a list of ailments throughout the campaign and are still missing starting shooting guard Richard Hamilton.
Denver were sparked early by Afflalo, who scored 11 first-quarter points in his first game back after being suspended one game for throwing an elbow at Utah’s Gordon Hayward on Friday.
The visitors also flashed a little defense in forcing the Chicago Bulls into 15 turnovers.
“I think individually we all take pride in guarding our man, but we just had to become a better defensive team, helping each other and communicating,” Lawson said.
PACERS 105, HEAT 90
In Indianapolis, Danny Granger scored 25 points to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat.
Darren Collison added 20 points, while Paul George had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers.
LeBron James had 24 points and nine rebounds, while Dwyane Wade had 24 points and six assists for Miami.
The Heat had won the previous three meetings this season, but the Pacers played with confidence throughout. Indiana led by double digits for most of the fourth quarter, and Pacers fans stood and showed their appreciation during the final minute.
CLIPPERS 97, HORNETS 85
In Los Angeles, Chris Paul had 25 points and 10 assists for the Los Angeles Clippers against his former team New Orleans.
The Hornets first tried to trade Paul to the Lakers — a deal that was rejected by the league — before shipping the All-Star point guard to the Clippers shortly after the lockout ended.
Blake Griffin added 20 points and seven rebounds to help the Clippers climb within two games of the Pacific Division-leading Lakers.
Al-Farouq Aminu scored 15 points, while Carl Landry added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who did not have a player in double digits until Landry’s two free throws trimmed Los Angeles’ lead to 66-52 with 2 minutes, 21 seconds left in the third quarter.
ROCKETS 113, KINGS 106, OT
In Houston, Texas, Patrick Patterson scored a career-high 24 points and Earl Boykins hit four free throws for Houston late in overtime for a win over Sacramento.
Boykins, who was signed by Houston earlier in the day, finished with 10 points in his first action of the season.
Boykins hit two free throws with 21 seconds left and two more 7 seconds later to secure the win.
DeMarcus Cousins scored a career-high 38 points and had 14 rebounds, while Marcus Thornton added 27 points for the Kings, who lost their fifth straight road game. They are an NBA-worst 4-22 on the road this season.
CELTICS 102, BOBCATS 95
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Paul Pierce scored a season-high 36 points as Boston moved into a first-place tie with Philadelphia in the Atlantic Division.
Pierce shot 10 of 20 from the field, made 15 of 18 free throws, and added 10 rebounds and four assists.
Pierce has scored 20 or more points in five of the past six games and is averaging 22.3 points per game this month.
Kevin Garnett had 24 points for the Celtics.
Gerald Henderson had 21 points for the Bobcats (7-40), who have lost six of their past seven and remain the only team in the NBA with fewer than 10 wins. Charlotte got 59 points from their bench, including 18 from Byron Mullens and 16 from Derrick Brown.
JAZZ 105, NETS 84
In Newark, New Jersey, Paul Millsap had 24 points and 13 rebounds as Utah shook off the weariness from their four-overtime loss 24 hours earlier.
Al Jefferson added 19 points and eight rebounds as the Jazz won for the seventh time in eight games, keeping a hold on one of the last playoff spots in the Western Conference.
Alec Burks added 15 points for the Jazz, who used an 18-4 fourth quarter to lock up the game after New Jersey cut a 21-point deficit to three.
Gerald Green led the Nets with 20 points. Deron Williams added 17 points and 11 assists against his former teammates on seven-of-21 shooting. Rookie Jordan Williams added a career-high 13 points.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Pistons 79, Wizards 77
‧ Magic 117, Raptors 101
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