In a tactic he’s tried dozens of times, Peyton Watson paused during a break in the action and broke the fourth wall, amping up an arena of fans who’ve grown greedy with their team’s start this season.

They didn’t need the jolt as much as the Nuggets did.

Down as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter, the short-handed Nuggets battled back for a brief lead in the last two minutes Monday, only for it to slip through their fingers in a 130-127 loss to the Bulls. It snapped a seven-game win streak and ended Denver’s undefeated start at home.

“It was just a weird game overall,” coach David Adelman said. “I just thought we allowed the game to be weird by our approach. And when you get into a game like that, anything can happen.”

“We were playing an uphill battle,” Jamal Murray added, “because of our low energy or low effort to start.”

Nikola Jokic went for 36 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists. Murray fueled the fourth-quarter comeback when not much else could, compiling 34 points. Cam Johnson broke out of his slump for 19.

Peyton Watson to start while Christian Braun is out with ankle injury for Nuggets

But Kevin Huerter buried a 3-pointer for a one-point lead with 1:25 remaining, and Ayo Dosunmu returned a Murray interception for a flush the following possession. “I think that was the key to the loss, honestly,” Murray said. “We can talk about everything leading up to it, but when it comes down to it, it was a big possession, so I just think (I need to be) sharper with stuff like that.”

Denver got back within one, then Adelman used his last timeout to challenge an out-of-bounds call, appearing to change his mind after initially turning away from the John Beckett-led consultation crew on Denver’s bench. Not enough evidence existed to overturn the ruling, and the struggling Nikola Vucevic sank a pick-and-pop 3 to put Chicago up by two scores on the ensuing inbound.

“I looked up (at the video board), and then our guys got a different view of it as well on the computer,” Adelman said of the challenge. “To me, it looked like the ball changed direction down low. I was surprised. They said that it was inconclusive, meaning they didn’t know either way, which is unfortunate. In my mind, I thought if we win this challenge, I still have my timeout and we have a 2-for-1 situation with 30-plus seconds on the clock, I don’t have to advance the ball, we can play pick-and-roll and just attack the basket with those two guys. Unfortunately I lost the challenge, so that’s on me.”

Adelman pinpointed Denver’s pick-and-pop coverage as the biggest issue of the night defensively. On Vucevic’s dagger, Jokic was in a drop near the free-throw line and Aaron Gordon was chasing the ball-handler, while Murray was guarding the back-side corner. None of the three recovered to the ball on time.

“We also were gonna veer off and have our small just kind of go back,” Adelman said. “I think the way they ran it though, it almost felt like there was no pick, and so is there no coverage? So (Vucevic) slipped out, and he had missed that shot three times in a row. But that being said … someone has to be there on that catch to at least get a good contest.”

Jokic air-balled a shot from close to halfcourt as time expired when the Nuggets (10-3) were able to advance the ball one last time even without a timeout, thanks to a Chicago foul.

All three of their losses this season have been by single digits or in overtime.

And after trailing for a combined 52 seconds after the first quarter in their first six home games, the Nuggets spent the entire last three frames playing from behind Monday.

The context made their first home-court adversity of the year all the more flummoxing. Their visitors arrived with heavy legs after a double-overtime loss in Utah 24 hours earlier. Chicago guard Coby White was out after making his season debut and exceeding his minutes restriction by necessity in the thriller. Playing the back-to-back at altitude seemed like cruel and unusual punishment.

But the Bulls’ bench thoroughly outplayed their starters — and Denver’s at times. Jevon Carter, who didn’t play in nine of their first 12 games, was desperate to prove himself a worthy shot-maker at every touch. Jalen Smith was generally a more effective big than Vucevic, at least until he left the game grasping his right shoulder in pain. Dosunmu was dynamic in transition and with his rim pressure.

The Bulls surged to a 50-32 lead with 7:29 to go in the first half before the Nuggets woke up. Once they did, their starters flexed the talent gap with Chicago’s by smoothly putting together a 24-6 run. But they couldn’t stay in that mode after halftime, a reversal of fate after they’ve feasted on teams with third-quarter runs throughout the season.

Jokic had a triple-double by the end of that frame, but the historic efficiency that characterized his last week had faded. He went 13 for 27 on the night and 1 for 7 from 3-point range.

Chicago brought the physicality to him and the Nuggets. Their frustration boiled over late in the third when Adelman crossed the timeline to pick up a technical foul and Tim Hardaway Jr. earned a flagrant 32 seconds later trying to defend in transition.

The Bulls scored 23 fast-break points despite their short rest, while Denver was plagued by missed opportunities going the other way with pace — a 3-for-13 night on fast breaks for 14 points.

“They played fast even after makes,” Murray said. “And when they can get it going, they can get it going. Not just one person. Multiple guys impacted the game tonight. They just played fast, and they played free. … I think their bench came in and did more damage than their starters.”

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