Zach LaVine scored 32 points and the Chicago Bulls overcame DeMar DeRozan's absence to beat the Denver Nuggets 109-97 on Monday night.

The Bulls took a big hit a few hours before tipoff when DeRozan, their leading scorer, entered the NBA's health and safety protocols. Even without the four-time All-Star, they dominated down the stretch and tied Brooklyn for the Eastern Conference lead.

It's just another sign of how far the Bulls have come. After four straight losing seasons, they hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

LaVine had a season-high eight assists in a solid all-around game.

Lonzo Ball and Nikola Vucevic each had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ball also blocked four shots. All five starters reached double figures in points, and Chicago outscored Denver 15-0 in transition.

The Nuggets lost for the eighth time in 10 games despite a triple-double by Nikola Jokic. The reigning MVP finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and a season-high 15 assists.

Will Barton and Monte Morris each scored 19. Aaron Gordon added 18 points. But the Nuggets got outscored 63-48 in the second half.

LaVine scored 12 in the third, including seven straight late in the quarter, to extend Chicago's lead to 74-66.

Ball made a four-point play early in the fourth when Jeff Green knocked him to floor with a flagrant foul. Tony Bradley dunked, and Chicago product Ayo Dosunmu nailed a 3 to make it 86-73 with 9:50 left in the game, delighting the crowd.

Dosunmu found out about an hour before tipoff he would make his first career start, then came through with 11 points, six rebounds and eight assists. The second-round draft pick out of Illinois also made sure he was billed as from Chicago rather than his college in the pregame introductions, just like former MVP Derrick Rose.

The Bulls visit Cleveland on Wednesday.