Nuggets at Bulls
THE STORY: The Chicago Bulls have clinched a playoff spot and seek their
fifth consecutive victory when they host the Denver Nuggets on Monday.
Chicago became the first team to sew up a berth by beating the Toronto
Raptors on Saturday when Luol Deng’s final-second putback in overtime
saved the Bulls from a disappointing loss. Denver is struggling and has
lost the first two games of a seven-game road trip by a combined 36
points.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, CS Chicago (Bulls), Altitude (Nuggets)
ABOUT
THE NUGGETS (26-23): The first two games of Denver’s lengthy road trip
have been highly disappointing as the Nuggets allowed 121 points to the
Utah Jazz on Friday and 117 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Denver is allowing an average of 116.3 points over its last four games.
“This giving up 115 points a game the last three or four has got to
stop,” point guard Ty Lawson said. The defensive issues have come during
a stretch in which center JaVale McGee was acquired, forward Wilson
Chandler returned to the team and forward Danilo Gallinari was lost with
a thumb injury.
ABOUT THE BULLS (40-10): Standout guard Derrick
Rose is slated to miss his seventh consecutive game with a groin injury.
Rose said he is making progress, but also has yet to do the type of
conditioning work that would allow him to return to the lineup. The
Bulls are 12-4 without Rose as players such as C.J. Watson and John
Lucas have done a solid job as fill-ins. Backup shooting guard Kyle
Korver also makes up for the loss on the scoring end. “It’s my first
time having a groin injury, but it’s improving every day,” Rose said.
“Hopefully I’ll be out there pretty soon.”
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. This is the only meeting of the season.
2. Watson scored 33 points in a game against Denver last season when Rose was sidelined with an injury.
3.
Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo returns after serving a one-game suspension
for tossing an elbow at the head of Utah’s Gordon Hayward.