CHICAGO — Ben Gordon scored 37 points, and the revamped Chicago Bulls delivered one of their best offensive efforts in years, overcoming a surge by Denver to beat the Nuggets 135-121 on Friday night.
The Bulls scored at least 30 points in all four quarters for the first time since Feb. 18, 1997, against Denver, and the 135 points were a season high. They did all that one day after sending Ben Wallace and Joe Smith to Cleveland for Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes just before Thursday’s trade deadline.
Despite the onslaught on offense, the Bulls had to hold on. Chicago led by 23 points midway through the third quarter, but instead of a blowout, there was tension.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by J.R. Smith, who scored a career-high 43 points, cut Chicago’s lead to 108-102 four minutes into the fourth quarter. Another 3 by Smith made it 111-107 before Gordon scored 10 points during a 14-3 run to bury the Nuggets.
Allen Iverson scored 29 and Carmelo Anthony added 22 for Denver, which was coming off a thrilling 124-118 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
