Bulls at perfect strength
Reinforcements from New York? Don't fight the snow. Take your time getting here.
Physicals left to complete in Sacramento? Go ahead and make absolutely certain Drew Gooden doesn't have a sports hernia.
The Bulls seem to be good with what they have.
Using just seven players Friday until Lindsey Hunter checked in for the final minute, the Bulls produced a strong finishing kick and posted an impressive 116-99 victory over Denver at the United Center.
The Nuggets (37-18) started the night with the second-best record in the Western Conference and had gone 5-1 on their current road trip with victories over Philadelphia, Miami and Orlando.
The win moved the Bulls (25-30) within a half-game of Milwaukee for the eighth playoff spot in the East.
Bulls newcomers Brad Miller and John Salmons were ready, willing and wearing their new uniforms in the locker room. But they couldn't play Friday because the players the Bulls sent to Sacramento didn't pass their physicals in time, leaving the home team short-handed.
"Personally, I wasn't concerned about that," guard Kirk Hinrich said. "Coming out of the (all-star) break, we had a lot of rest. It was just one of those type of games where you kind of have to dig down deep. Our intensity was there for most of the game."
Seven was a lucky number all around Friday. Chauncey Billups, No. 7 for the Nuggets, knocked down all 7 of his shots in the first half, when the visitors led by as many 12 points.
But while Billups cooled off, the Bulls' No. 7, Ben Gordon, stayed hot and erupted for a season-high 37 points, hitting 13 of 23 shots. Luol Deng added 22 points and 12 rebounds. Tyrus Thomas contributed 21 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks.
"I think our guys played a little more relaxed," Gordon said. "They're not worried about when they're coming out of the game."
Center Joakim Noah (13 points, 7 rebounds) set the tone for the comeback early in the third quarter by driving through the lane and throwing down a one-handed dunk over Nene. Denver's 6-foot-11 center had been toying with the Bulls to that point in the game but ended up scoring just 2 of his 19 points in the second half.
"Joakim and Tyrus, those guys make the difference a lot of times," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said.
Gordon's big game came a day after general manager John Paxson repeated the Bulls' desire to re-sign the future free agent this summer but admitted they might not have enough room on the payroll to get it done.
"I have no control over that," Gordon said. "I've been looking at (the numbers) a little bit. I can't control any of it, so I'm just focusing on coming out, playing, trying to get some wins, and I'll think about all that stuff during the summertime."
After the Bulls pulled ahead by 11 in the third quarter, the score was tied at 87-87 with 8:10 remaining.
The Bulls went on a game-deciding 10-0 run using a variety of contributors. Thomas hit a jumper to put the home team ahead for good, then Gordon scored on the break and Deng had 4 straight points and found Noah for a dunk that made it 97-87 with 5:22 left.
With Hinrich keeping Billups quiet down the stretch, Derrick Rose (10 points, 6 assists) sat out the final 9:27.
The Bulls had 14 turnovers at intermission, then just 3 in the second half.
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