Jokic just shy of triple-double, Porter scores 27 to lead Nuggets over Bulls 123-101

DENVER - Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 16 rebounds and 9 assists, Michael Porter Jr. scored a season-best 27 and the Denver Nuggets overcame the loss of point guard Jamal Murray to beat the Chicago Bulls 123-101 on Saturday night.

Aaron Gordon had 15 points and 12 rebounds for defending NBA champion Denver, which has won all four of its home games.

Murray played the first 8:40 before leaving with right hamstring tightness. He finished with two points and two rebounds. Reggie Jackson, getting extended minutes in place of Murray, scored 16 off the bench, tying his season high.

Nikola Vucevic had 19 points, DeMar DeRozan scored 17 and Jalen Carter added 16 for Chicago, which has dropped two straight.

The Bulls won the previous meeting in Denver, 117-96 on March 8, and took a 2-point lead at halftime of this one. The Nuggets opened the third quarter on a 21-4 run to go ahead 72-57 and led by 18 before Chicago cut it to 86-76 early in the fourth.

Denver extended the lead to 16, but the Bulls made it 101-90 on a 3-pointer from Carter before the Nuggets went on a 10-1 run to put it away.

Both teams were coming off their first game of the NBA In-Season Tournament on Friday and looked as though they had played the previous night in the first quarter. Denver was 1 of 8 from 3-point range and the Bulls committed four turnovers, but both teams warmed up.

For the game the Nuggets shot 44.4% percent from behind the arc and Chicago turned it over just seven times in the final three quarters.