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Block Party: Bulls set franchise record in win over Nuggets

Jan 2, 2015 - 4:05 AM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Jimmy Butler scored 26 points and the Chicago Bulls had a franchise-record 18 blocked shots in a 106-101 win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.

Pau Gasol added 17 points, a career-high nine blocks and nine rebounds for the Bulls, who have won 11 of their last 13. Derrick Rose scored 17 points on 25 shots and Aaron Brooks had 12 points off the bench.

Wilson Chandler had 22 points and Ty Lawson scored 20 to lead the Nuggets, who have lost three in a row and 12 of their last 16.

Denver's road losing streak reached seven games since a win against Utah on Dec. 1.

The Nuggets led by as many as 13 points early in the second half, but Butler scored 15 in the third quarter to get Chicago back into it.

The Bulls took their first lead since the second quarter on Kirk Hinrich's 3- pointer with 16 seconds left in the third.

They went ahead for good on Rose's floater with 6:14 remaining in the fourth.

The Bulls shot just 41.8 percent from the field, but still went over 100 points two days after opening a five-game homestand with a 96-82 loss to Brooklyn, snapping a seven-game winning streak in their lowest offensive output of the season.

Six of Chicago's 18 blocks came in the first quarter, but the Nuggets still held a 23-22 lead. Denver then shot 50 percent in the second to carry a 53-42 advantage into halftime.

Game Notes

Rose had eight assists ... Arron Afflalo had 19 points for Denver and Kenneth Faried scored 18 with 19 rebounds ... The Nuggets beat the Bulls 114-109 on Nov. 25 in Denver ... The Bulls host Boston on Saturday ... The Nuggets are home against Memphis on Saturday.