Barton's late free throws lift Nuggets past Bulls
DENVER -- Will Barton hit two free throws with 9.5 seconds left and the Denver Nuggets beat the Chicago Bulls 110-107 on Tuesday night.
Barton finished with 10 points and Jamal Murray had 24 points and six rebounds, both season highs. Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Denver (6-8), which notched its 10th straight victory over the Bulls at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets have won 16 of 17 overall at home against Chicago.
Jimmy Butler followed up his 40-point game against the Los Angeles Lakers with 35 points, eight rebounds and five assists. He was 11 of 12 from the line.
Barton, playing his second game after missing nine with a sprained left ankle, scored eight points in the third quarter. Murray came into the game and hit a 3-pointer, a driving dunk and two free throws in a span of 1:10 to give Denver a 91-84 lead late in the period.
The Bulls (9-6) rallied to tie it at 107 on Butler's 3-pointer with 56.1 seconds left. After Denver was called for offensive basket interference, Butler missed a short jumper and the Nuggets called consecutive timeouts to set up a play.
Wade fouled Barton, who drained two free throws to give Denver a 109-107 lead with 9.5 seconds left.
Chicago's Isaiah Cannon missed everything on a 3-point attempt and the Nuggets' Danilo Gallinari hit a free throw. Gallinari finished with 15 points and Wilson Chandler recorded 16 points and nine rebounds.
Butler, who was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for last week, continued his torrid play. He had 10 in the first quarter and 17 at halftime to keep the Bulls in it.
Chicago led by 12 after one period but missed nine straight shots at one point and Denver took advantage -- specifically, its bench. Led by Murray, who had 15 of his 17 first-half points in the second quarter, the Nuggets scored 22 straight to take a 41-31 lead.
The Bulls recovered to tie it at 60 at halftime. Denver's bench scored 39 of the team's 41 points in the second quarter.
NOTES: Bulls G Dwyane Wade said he was impressed with the Nuggets' presentation to him when he met with the team during his free agency over the summer. "Those guys, I was sold on them," Wade said. "They made it a lot tougher than people think." ... Denver F Mike Miller is still away from the team for personal reasons. He should return before Friday's game. ... Bulls G Michael Carter-Williams (left knee bruise, left wrist sprain) missed his 12th straight game. He is expected to return in early or mid-December. ... Denver averaged 27.3 assists in its last four games after recording 26 on Tuesday. "It's a combination of unselfish plays and guys making shots," coach Michael Malone said before Tuesday's contest.