Nikola Jokic triple-double headlines Denver Nuggets rout of Chicago Bulls

Danilo Gallinari scored 22 points and Wilson Chandler added 20 in the Nuggets’ big win over the Bulls.
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Center Nikola Jokić at the Denver Nuggets press day, Sept. 26, 2016. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite) pepsi center; nuggets; basketball; sports; kevinjbeaty; denver; colorado; denverite;

Center Nikola Jokić at the Denver Nuggets press day, Sept. 26, 2016. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

By John Jackson, Associated Press

CHICAGO — Nikola Jokic had 19 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season, and the Denver Nuggets rode a second-half surge to a 125-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.

Danilo Gallinari scored 22 points and Wilson Chandler added 20 as Denver, which entered the game fourth in the NBA in scoring (110.6 points per game), posted a 70-48 advantage in the second half to erase a halftime deficit.

Gary Harris and Will Barton had 15 points apiece for the Nuggets.

Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo had 19 points apiece for Chicago, which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Jimmy Butler finished with just eight points on 3-for-13 shooting.

Chicago had a 59-56 halftime lead before Denver busted out for a 35-point third quarter to take a 91-83 advantage into the fourth. The Nuggets were 11 of 20 from the field and 10 of 11 from the free throw line in the third.

Denver carried the momentum into the final quarter, scoring the first eight points — capped by Gallinari's two 3-pointers — for a 99-83 lead. The margin was up to 21 points (110-89) a few minutes later and the rout was on.

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