Denver Nuggets 108, Chicago Bulls 114: Three Takeaways

One thing that’s clear about the Denver Nuggets is that they won’t back down from a challenge. Without reigning MVP Nikola Joki\u0107 Friday night, Denver nearly pulled off an upset against the Chicago Bulls. Unfortunately, clutch shot-making from Chicago’s leading duo of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan ultimately fueled a 114-108 victory for the road team.

It would be hard to script a better start to the opening quarter for the shorthanded Nuggets. Led by 10 points from Aaron Gordon, Denver’s offense was lights out early, which led to a 24-14 lead. As expected, Chicago responded and eventually tied the game at 30 heading into the second frame. The Nuggets shot 61.9 percent from the field and…