Bulls vs. Nuggets Preview
DENVER, CO – Chicago hasn’t finished with a winning record on its circus trip or swept a season series from the Denver Nuggets since Michael Jordan last suited up for the Bulls.
With the way Derrick Rose is playing, Chicago appears to have a good chance of ending both unflattering streaks.
Rose and the Bulls look to build on an impressive comeback victory and achieve a couple of feats they haven’t accomplished in a dozen years Friday night against the Nuggets, who hope to have Chauncey Billups back in their lineup.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Nuggets -3.5 point spread favorites for Friday’s game against the Bulls. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 69% of more than 210 bets for this game have been placed on the Nuggets -3.5.
According to Trends, Denver is 10-21 ATS after a win by 10 or more points in its previous game.
The circus’ annual arrival at the United Center in mid-November usually spells doom for Chicago, but the Bulls are off to a surprising start on this year’s trip.
Chicago, which went 1-5 on its circus trip last season, is 3-2 since it took to the road last Tuesday. Its losses came to San Antonio and the Los Angeles Lakers, who are a combined 26-3.
After playing in Denver, the Bulls (8-5) conclude their trek Saturday against Sacramento, and they need to win once to finish the trip with a winning record for the first time since going 4-3 in 1997-98 – Jordan’s last season with the team. That was also the last time the Bulls swept a season series from the Nuggets.
Chicago is in position to get a sweep this year thanks to 94-92 comeback win over Denver on Nov. 8, when Rose scored eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.
Rose was even better in Wednesday’s 123-115 double-overtime victory over Phoenix. He finished with 35 points to help the Bulls rally from a 23-point, second-quarter deficit.
The All-Star guard sent the game to overtime with two free throws with 14 seconds remaining, and then tied it at 111 with 0.1 seconds left in the first overtime on a reverse layup. He then scored Chicago’s first five points in the second overtime – one more than the Suns scored in the entire period – to seal the win.
“We just kept fighting,” said Rose, averaging 30.6 points during the trip. “It wasn’t going our way, but we are the type of team that grinds and we are never going to stop.”
Chicago is now poised to win its fourth road game, something it didn’t accomplish last season until Jan. 14. The Bulls, however, have lost four straight and 10 of 11 in Denver.
The Nuggets (8-6) are opening a season-high five-game homestand and have won four straight at the Pepsi Center with Carmelo Anthony averaging 29.0 points.
Anthony took control in Monday’s 106-89 win over Golden State with Billups sidelined with a broken nose and sprained wrist, finishing with a season-high 39 points while going 17 for 17 from the free-throw line – the most he has made without a miss in his career.
“I just felt like I needed to do a little bit more with (Billups) not being there,” Anthony said.
Anthony might not have to carry as much of the offense with Billups expected to return against the Bulls. Anthony, whose name was mentioned in trade rumors for Chicago’s Joakim Noah before the start of the season, had 32 points and eight rebounds at the United Center earlier this month.
Noah had 13 points and a season high-tying 19 rebounds in that game.
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