3 Takeaways & Player Grades: Denver Nuggets 136, Chicago Bulls 120

Similar to what we saw two nights ago, the Chicago Bulls put up a solid fight for three quarters against a playoff-bound team. Unfortunately, that still wasn't enough to avoid a 136-120 loss.

3 Takeaways

Ready From the Jump

The new-look Chicago Bulls deserve a lot of credit. They may not know how to play with one another yet, but that sure hasn't stopped them from trying. Despite facing off against one of the NBA's most intimidating squads after an emotionally exhausting week, the Bulls came out looking like the more energized unit.

They were making life hard on the Denver Nuggets both off the bounce and behind the three-point arc. While Nikola Jokic and Company were able to drop a whopping 39 points in the opening frame, the Bulls weren't far behind with 36 points. They did a particularly good job capitalizing on some early Nuggets turnovers, starting the night with 13 points of their first five mistakes.

Things were close enough that the Bulls were actually able to steal the lead less than 4 minutes into the second quarter. Rob Dillingham drained a triple to give Chicago a 46-44 advantage. The two proceeded to play tug-of-war until Anfernee Simons completed the 4-point play and Guerschon Yabusele drained a triple. The Bulls shockingly entered the break up 65-58.

Seven different Bulls had made three going into halftime, while four different Bulls had at least two assists. It was an impressive communal effort from a group that has every excuse to look out of sorts. And things only got more impressive in the third quarter!

If this team made anything clear tonight, it's that they aren't afraid to let shots fly from deep. They came out of the locker room and hoisted 19 threes in the third quarter, draining eight. Four of those came in succession – including two by Yabusele – to help spark a 16-2 run in the final 3:15 of the quarter. The four other points scored during that run came courtesy of Dillingham, who got to the charity stripe and threw an awesome lob to big man Nick Richards.

The only problem for the Bulls was that their efficiency offensively wasn't matched on the other side of the ball. To be sure, stopping the Nuggets is no easy task, but this group still allowed Denver to drop 38 points in the third quarter to fall one shy of their total. So, as excited as their 104-97 lead looked, the chances of it slipping away felt high.

Speaking of which ....

Nikola Jokic Takes Control

The clock struck midnight for the Chicago Bulls' hot shooting in the fourth quarter, and Nikola Jokic took full advantage.

Denver started on a 12-0 run, which featured Jokic assisting 9 of those points. While Billy Donovan called a timeout to try to settle his group, the Nuggets smelled blood. The Bulls blinked and were suddenly in the thick of a 30-8 run. Denver did the bulk of its damage inside, where Chicago has remained extremely vulnerable. They would finish the quarter 11-14 from the paint with a 68.2 shooting percentage overall.

Defense was an issue for the Bulls before the trade deadline, and it sure feels like it's going to continue to be their biggest problem after it. They lack any true length along the perimeter, and their size in the frontcourt is going cause a lot of problems. While Nick Richards presents a decently imposing frame, Guerschon Yabsuele stands just six-foot-eight, and the currently banged-up Jalen Smith has always had a lankier build.

Of course, there is also simply something to be said about the chemistry. Denver knows what to do in closing time. Not only do they have one of the highest IQ players on the court, but they have been through their fair share of battles. There is nothing you can do to make up for that if you're the Bulls. Might things look better as the weeks go by in crunch time? Perhaps. But 28 games isn't a whole lot of time to settle in, so don't be surprised if the fourth quarter proves to be a real issue for the rest of the year.

Three More Bulls Debut

After Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, and Guerschon Yabusele made their debut on Thursday, several more trade deadline acquisitions joined them tonight.

Collin Sexton entered the game as the team's Sixth Man before Nick Richards soon heard his name called. Rob Dillingham then got his first taste of action at the end of the first quarter, as Billy Donovan wasted no time getting the odd man out in Minnesota some fun.

All three went on to impress in their own way. Sexton's vocal leadership and scoring aggressiveness were on display from the jump. If he was worried about fitting in on a new team, he sure didn't show it. Richards was surprisingly opportunistic. He was solid around the rim and forced his way to the free throw for a 4-5 showing. As for Dillingham, it was a mixed bag, but the Bulls' uptempo style of play certainly seemed to fit his preferred style.

These were also the same three players who met with the media earlier in the day. All three sounded eager to get to work with their new teammates, and I think this performance reflected that. All three have a reason to be selfish and attempt to assert themselves at the top of this new totem pole. To be sure, they each tried to play their game, but they clearly did it without trying to step on any toes. For a Bulls team looking to play a lot of bodies and evaluate their options, that's important.

"That's something we talked about in the locker room. The first meeting with coach that's the first thing he said, 'let's go out there and give it out all and let's do it together.' When we're doing it together, it's going to fun. At the end of the day, one guy isn't going to win games. It's going to take a group effort. We do know that, and that something we can control," Sexton said during the team's Saturday shootaround.

Grading the Chicago Bulls' Newbies

Nick Richards of the Chicago Bulls — Feb 7, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nick Richards (13) dunks the ball on Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Nick Richards – A
Stats: 15 PTS, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK

Considering it was his first game in a Bulls uniform, you have to respect the way Nick Richards fought tonight. His 15 points were a season high, as the big man was ready for lobs and had some encouraging early chemistry with the Bulls' many guards. A big man's dream!

Oh, he also made only the second three-pointer of his career!

Nick Richards just hit the 2nd three of his CAREER 🤯

He's been in the league for 6 YEARS pic.twitter.com/AXFRjWtDdd
— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) February 8, 2026

Collin Sexton – B
Stats: 17 PTS, 4 AST, 4 REB

It wasn't the most efficient scoring night from Colin Sexton, but his energy was clearly contagious. It was also fun to see him try to direct traffic and pump up his teammates during each break in action. A guy like that can make a tough adjustment period like this a lot easier.

Guerschon Yabusele – B-
Stats: 12 PTS, 2 REB, 2 BLK

His 4-13 shooting display leaves a lot to be desired, but he did drain four pretty big shots from downtown. He was also a huge part of limiting Nikola Jokic's damage in the scoring column (22 points). Yabusele really played him physically on a couple of possessions.

Rob Dillingham – C+
Stats: 9 PTS, 4 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL

Rob Dillingham undoubtedly looks raw, but you could immediately see flashes of why he was once considered such a highly touted prospect. The guard is incredibly shifty with the basketball, and he used this to get into the teeth of the defense and set up some awesome dunks for his teammates. I'm eager to see more.

Jaden Ivey – C
Stats: 10 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL

Jaden Ivey has a sweet stroke; there is no doubt about that. He's also a high-IQ player who is always looking for some way to fill up the box score. With that said, you can tell he isn't all that comfortable yet creating his own shot on this team.