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October 13, 2026 at 2:24 AM UTC

Postgame Report

Nuggets hold off Bulls 133-128 as starters get real run in preseason home opener

Aaron Gordon scored 25 and Nikola Jokic put up 22, 11 and 10 as Denver beat Chicago, with rookie Caleb Wilson and Leonard Miller giving the Bulls plenty to build on.

3 Things to Watch for in Nuggets' Preseason Matchup vs. Bulls — Sports Illustrated
3 Things to Watch for in Nuggets' Preseason Matchup vs. Bulls — Sports Illustrated

The Nuggets beat the Bulls 133-128 on Sunday in their first true home game of the preseason, the third game of a five-game slate. It was Chicago's first road game of the exhibition schedule. Aaron Gordon led Denver with 25 points in 23 minutes, and Nikola Jokic added 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. The Bulls stayed within reach and never really went away.

The starters played, and that was the notable part. Adelman had said the first unit would see the floor in at least two of the final three preseason games, and this was one of them. Jokic logged a game-high 26 minutes. Jamal Murray matched him, Cameron Johnson played 25, and Gordon and Christian Braun each played 23. The sources had split on whether Denver would rest its stars. The answer was that it did not, at least not early.

Chicago's rookie Caleb Wilson drew the Jokic assignment, in the sense that he spent the night on the same floor as a player whose film he studied in high school. He finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in 25 minutes, and he beat the buzzer to close the first half. Leonard Miller was the Bulls' best scorer, with 26 points and 7 rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. Buddy Hield added 15, and Matas Buzelis had 13 and 6.

For Denver, the night also gave the starting five a longer look. Murray had missed the first preseason outing, so the group had shared the court for only about 13 minutes before this one. He finished with 13 points and 5 assists. DeMar DeRozan, a Bull until this offseason, played 9 minutes against his old team and had 2 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Julian Strawther scored 13 off the bench, and DaRon Holmes II had 11.

Sources

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