Gasol has double-double as Bulls beat Nuggets 99-90

CHICAGO (AP) -- Pau Gasol had 26 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 99-90 win over the struggling Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

Gasol shot 12 for 19 from the field and had his fifth consecutive double-double for Chicago, which won for the third time in four games and improved to 7-1 at home. Jimmy Butler, playing through a lingering right heel contusion, scored 19 points in 39 minutes.

Derrick Rose finished with 12 points on 3-for-17 shooting.

Will Barton scored 16 points and Kenneth Faried had 14 points and nine rebounds as Denver lost its eighth straight.

The Nuggets, who finished shooting 39 percent from the field, led 72-68 heading to the fourth quarter after limiting Chicago to 17 points in the third.

Chicago regained the lead for good at 82-79 with 7:37 left on Doug McDermott's 3-pointer.