Nuggets run right over Bulls
DENVER -- The Bulls added a new dimension to their game Tuesday night. Already terrible on offense this season, they tried playing some atrocious defense and were blown out by the high-scoring Nuggets 112-91.
Now 2-8, the Bulls head home for a short holiday break before continuing their six-game road trip in New York and Toronto this weekend.
"We were a step slow and they took advantage of us," coach Scott Skiles said. "They just put it on the floor, went by us and created all kinds of problems, and we weren't able to do the same thing to them at the other end. They took it to us at all spots on the floor. We had trouble guarding all of their guys."
Luol Deng sat out his second game with a sore back, and so far the damage has been 2 losses by a combined 49 points.
Veteran Adrian Griffin again started in Deng's place, but he couldn't do much to slow down Carmelo Anthony or Allen Iverson. Those two Nuggets combined for 48 points and barely played in the fourth quarter.
If there was any cause for moral victory, it was the Nuggets finishing with a mere 112 points after they had 72 by halftime.
If there was any sort of bright spot, it was a couple of rookies playing with confidence.
Joakim Noah, who hadn't scored a basket in 58 minutes of court time this season, led the Bulls on Tuesday with 16 points, hitting 7 of 10 shots. Shooting guard Thomas Gardner added 14 points, the same as Kirk Hinrich.
"There's no question (Noah) has been pressing a little bit and it's had an effect on him," Skiles said. "It's like all rookies, you come up here and if you don't have success right away, you start to question things.
"Hopefully that's a silver lining in all this, that he was able to do some things around the basket. Hopefully he can relax and play better."
On the down side, Ben Gordon had just 6 points on 2-of-14 shooting, while Thabo Sefolosha hit 3 of 11 attempts despite getting extended minutes.
The first few minutes of this game told an appropriate story. It took only 12 seconds for Andres Nocioni to pick up the Bulls' first foul and send Marcus Camby to the line for 2 free throws. Then the Bulls fell behind 10-2.
The visitors made one legitimate run, closing within 36-32 early in the second quarter. Denver responded by hitting shots on its next five possessions, including a pair of 3-pointers by Eduardo Najera and another long one from J.R. Smith.
The 13-0 run sent the Nuggets ahead 49-32 with 8:41 remaining in the half.
The Bulls usually have trouble keeping the Nuggets off the foul line, and this game was no exception. By halftime, Denver had made 24 of 28 free throws, compared to 5 of 5 for the Bulls.
When Gardner twice faked Camby into the air and had his shot blocked with no foul call, Skiles walked about 10 steps onto the court to earn a technical foul with 4:17 left in the second quarter.
The Bulls trailed 56-46 when the technical occurred, but it didn't help at all. The Nuggets pulled out to a 72-53 edge by intermission.