Enhanced Box Score: Bulls 117, Nuggets 96 – March 8, 2022

After the Chicago Bulls got out to an early 4-3 lead thanks to back-to-back aggressive buckets by Zach LaVine, Denver played like the top team in the West. They broke out into an 11-0 run and found themselves up by double digits. For a minute it looked like this might turn into a short night for Nikola Jokic and his supporting cast, especially with everyone but LaVine dragging their feet.

But then Patrick Williams checked in.

The Bulls’ youngster carried his strong play from Sunday afternoon’s matchup with the Pacers into this one. He scored 4 points in a little over a minute to help break up the Nuggets’ momentum. He went on to finish with 9 points in his first 12 minutes of action on a 4-5 shooting display from the field. Arguably his most encouraging bucket came when he put a shoulder into guard Reggie Jackson, backed him down, and got the and-one call. It’s opportunities like those that the Bulls want to see Wiliams recognize and repeatedly attack.

As Williams got going, so did the Bulls’ other stars. DeMar DeRozan was helping keep the offense in motion while Vucevic went on to score 13 first-half points. With 13 assists on their first 21 field goals, the Bulls were mimicking the kind of pass-happy basketball the Denver Nuggets play so well. And they were just getting started.

The 3rd quarter was one of the best 12 minutes we’ve seen the Bulls play in weeks. They outscored Denver 36-24 to take an 11-point lead into the final frame. Alex Caruso helped ignite this electric start to the second half by scoring 6 points in the first 4 minutes of the 3rd quarter. It was his steal and fastbreak layup that gave Chicago a 64-62 lead that they would never relinquish.

Before we knew it, the Bulls were on a 15-6 run and firing on all cylinders. DeMar DeRozan was dropping more dimes, Nikola Vucevic was hitting his jumpers, the defense was forcing key stops (Denver shot just 42.0 percent), and Zach LaVine was providing highlight after highlight.

Seriously, if you haven’t seen his dunk yet, don’t wait any longer:

With nearly four minutes to go in the game, Denver officially waved the white flag and sent in the benchwarmers. Think about that! The Bulls made a Finals favorite and the top team in the West throw in the towel.

On one hand, this kind of makes me angry. Where the heck has this been the past couple of weeks? And, when they do happen play this well, why must it always come against good competition? Play inspired basketball like this all the time, and you’re easily a playoff team!

On the other hand, I’m just going to enjoy this rare W. That was the most fun I’ve had watching this team in at least a month. Do I think it changes anything? No. But it is at least worth noting that the Wizards lost to the Hawks a few hours ago, so the Bulls did move within 1.0 game of the 10 seed. Next up for them is the West’s worst team (Houston), while the Wizards will have to deal with a pesky Hawks team again. We’ll see if they can gain more ground.

See ya tomorrow!

Check out the full box score here.

written by

Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.

more bulls news

WOW: Minnesota Timberwolves Sale to Alex Rodriguez Falls Through

The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped a bomb on Thursday morning. According to a statement released by the Timberwolves and Lynx ownership group, the franchise is no longer for sale. A transition of power was thought to be in place over the...

Enhanced Box Score: Bulls 125, Pacers 99 – March 27, 2024

I got to be honest, I'm even more upset about the Washington Wizards' loss. If the Chicago Bulls played like they did tonight, they would have beaten that depleted Wizards team by 40. This was a locked-in group from the...

Javonte Green Makes Bulls Return… Immediately Does Awesome Stuff

Javonte Green has officially made his Chicago Bulls debut ... again. The 30-year-old signed with the organization via a 10-day hardship deal on March 22. Injuries to Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, and Julian Phillips paved the way for...

WATCH: Alex Caruso Snatches Rookie Ben Sheppard’s Ankles

Alex Caruso will always be known for his defense capabilities, but he's showing a lot more than that this season. The veteran guard is averaging double-digit points for the first time in his career. A big part of that has...

Draymond Green Ejected Less Than 4 Minutes Into Game Against Orlando

Draymond Green was at it again on Wednesday night. Out East to take on the Orlando Magic, the Golden State Warriors watched Paolo Banchero bulldoze Andrew Wiggins to the rim early in the first quarter. As Banchero high-fived his teammates...

Pre-Gamin’: Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls (7:00 CT), Projected Lineups, How to Watch, More

Everything was awful on Tuesday. Be Better. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1772971933161705610?s=20 Game Info Indiana Pacers (41-32) at Chicago Bulls (34-38) – 7:00 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Chicago (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Projected Starting Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Alex Caruso Ayo Dosunmu...

Around the Association: Caitlin Clark Gets Big(3) Offer, Knicks Getting Help, Lakers OT Thriller, More

It's hard to believe we have less than three weeks remaining in the NBA's regular season, and we should be in for some real drama down the stretch. The Knicks have plenty to play for in their remaining 11 games...

WHOA: NCAA Looking to Ban Prop Betting on All College Athletes

As the NCAA men's basketball tournament gears up for the Sweet Sixteen, the college sports world received some big news. On Wednesday morning, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that NCAA president Charlie Baker wants to officially ban prop betting on college...

NBA Playoffs Update: Several Races Are Still Undecided

The NBA season is winding down. We have some awesome races for the NBA Playoffs to keep an eye on in the final 2+ weeks of the season. The top seed in the West is still up for grabs in...

Alex Caruso’s Status in Question for Matchup with Pacers

The Chicago Bulls might be without their best defensive player against the best offensive team in the NBA. Not great! The latest injury report lists Alex Caruso as "questionable" for Wednesday night's meeting with the Indiana Pacers. Caruso has been...

Latest News

How to Watch Celtics vs. Hawks: Live Stream or on TV

The Atlanta Hawks (33-39) hope to continue a three-game home winning stretch when hosting the Boston Celtics (57-15) on Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET.In their last time out, the Celtics lost 120-118 to the Hawks on Monday....

Rangers vs. Cubs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Texas Rangers open their season as -120 favorites in a home matchup with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday at 7:35 PM ET, live on ESPN.Nathan Eovaldi will get the ball for Texas while Chicago will counter with Justin Steele.Rangers...

Dejounte Murray Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Thursday, March 28, 2024

Will Dejounte Murray make four 3-pointers when the Atlanta Hawks face the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET? If so, he'll beat his prop for the game.Dejounte Murray's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the CelticsDejounte Murray's over/under for three-pointers...

Bogdan Bogdanovic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point over/under, Bogdan Bogdanovic needs to make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Atlanta Hawks meet the Boston Celtics on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.Bogdan Bogdanovic's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the CelticsBogdan Bogdanovic's over/under...

Jayson Tatum Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, it'll be the Boston Celtics versus the Atlanta Hawks, with Jayson Tatum needing three treys to beat his 3-pointer prop.Jayson Tatum's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksJayson Tatum's over/under for three-pointers in this game:...

Jaylen Brown Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point prop, Jaylen Brown must make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Boston Celtics play the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.Jaylen Brown's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksJaylen Brown's over/under for...

Derrick White Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

To beat his 3-point prop, Derrick White needs to make three from beyond the arc on Thursday, when his Boston Celtics meet the Atlanta Hawks, starting at 7:30 PM ET.Derrick White's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksDerrick White's over/under for...

WOW: Minnesota Timberwolves Sale to Alex Rodriguez Falls Through

The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped a bomb on Thursday morning. According to a statement released by the Timberwolves and Lynx ownership group, the franchise is no longer for sale. A transition of power was thought to be in place over the...

Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

The Los Angeles Chargers enter the offseason with a new era dawning. After a disappointing season, they landed a marquee hire in Jim Harbaugh, fresh off his national championship win with Michigan. Hailed as the top coaching prospect, Harbaugh brings a...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

more bulls news