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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CHICAGO (AP) – Antonio McDyess didn't watch. James Posey didn't
miss.
Two free throws by McDyess with 53 seconds left in overtime
Monday night broke a tie and the Denver Nuggets went on to a
109-104 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Posey scored 23 points for Denver, including a pair of free
throws with two-tenths of a second left in regulation that tied the
game and sent it into overtime. He added two more free throws late
in the extra period to put the Nuggets in front 105-101.
Jamal Crawford's 3-pointer brought Chicago within one, but
Denver made four free throws in the final seconds to end the
scoring.
As Posey stepped to the line in regulation to shoot, McDyess
positioned himself under the basket, but could only turn his back
and stare into the stands.
"I couldn't bear to watch," said McDyess, who finished with 35
points. "I wouldn't want to be in that situation, so I just hoped
and prayed he'd make them."
Posey, an 80 percent shooter at the foul line, made the first.
Then, after a pair of timeouts, calmly sank the second shot to tie
it.
"You dream about these situations," Posey said. "Being in
them is totally different. In the dream, you don't hear the fans,
see the waving balloons and the "brick" signs behind the basket.
I heard and saw everything tonight."
McDyess finished with 35 points and George McCloud had an NBA
season-high 22 assists for the Nuggets, who won in Chicago for the
first time since 1994.
"I came into this league as a point guard, so I knew what to
do," McCloud said. "I just tried to keep everyone involved."
Ron Mercer scored 30 points and Elton Brand 25 to pace the
Bulls, who have lost 10 of 11.
"We did not have an answer for McDyess," Chicago coach Tim
Floyd said. "We played with effort, but didn't get anything
accomplished in terms of the win."
McCloud started in place of Nick Van Exel, who sat out with a
sore lower back. Van Exel had the previous assist season-high of 20
set in December against Seattle.
"George took over and ran the team tonight – I told Nick not to
come back," McDyess joked.
Denver used a 14-0 run to take a 30-22 lead early in the second
quarter. Ten points by Raef LaFrentz helped extend the Nuggets'
lead to 40-28 with 7:47 left in the half before Chicago rallied on
a 17-2 run, ending with Elton Brand's hook shot, to lead 45-42.
The teams were tied at 45 at the half.
A dunk by McDyess with 2:01 left put Denver up 91-90. After
McDyess sank a free throw, Crawford's jumper gave Chicago a 94-93
lead with 37 seconds left.
Chicago's Brad Miller hit one of two free throws, extending the
lead to 95-93 with 6.6 seconds left and setting the stage for
Posey's two free throws to send the game to overtime.
Game notes
Fat Lever and Larry Brown share the Nuggets record for game
assists with 23. ... McCloud's previous career-high in assists was
12. ... Van Exel missed his third game of the season and sixth in
three years with the Nuggets. ... Bulls guard Bryce Drew injured
his right foot in the first quarter and did not return.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Denver Clubhouse
Chicago Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 90
Milwaukee 78
Denver 109
Chicago 104
Phoenix 104
LA Lakers 83
Dallas 98
Utah 90
Portland 104
LA Clippers 96
Seattle 104
Cleveland 86
New York 89
Golden State 87
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