The runway was cleared for a smooth landing.

With the 6-foot-11 obstacle removed – who just so happens to be one of the best basketball players on the planet in Denver’s Nikola Jokic – all that stood between the home team and a fourth victory in the last five games was a “Joker-less” Nuggets squad.

What the NBA defending champions showed? They still had more than enough.

Thanks to Reggie Jackson’s 25 points, as well as Denver’s bench outscoring the Bulls 50-23, it was the Nuggets strolling out of the United Center on Tuesday with the 114-106 win.

Not a good showing for the Bulls, who slipped to 9-16 on the season. But the real sting was the missed opportunity it was with Jokic made a non-factor by the referees.

“It’s really about the guys that are on the court at that time,” coach Billy Donovan said of not taking advantage of the situation. “We didn’t do enough to win the game. They did, and you give them credit.”

With 1:08 left in the first half, Jokic thought he was fouled and let the officials know about it as he was running up the court. A technical was eventually given, and then all of a sudden he was ejected as the boos from the crowd rang out with many in attendance to watch the two-time league MVP.

Before being sent to the showers, Jokic was heading for a triple-double, scoring just four points, but grabbing nine rebounds and handing out six assists.

But a one-technical ejection?

“The official that tossed him, he asked me, ‘Did you hear what was said?’ “ Denver coach Mike Malone said. “I said, ‘I did not.’ He said the language that was used warranted an ejection. A one-tech ejection, which I was very shocked at. And when I heard what he said, I said, ‘I don’t understand the problem because when I grew up that was a term of endearment.’

“Unfortunate for Nikola. He was frustrated, and thought he got fouled out there.”

Rather than wilt with their leader gone, however, the Nuggets (16-9) made it business as usual.

“A character win,” Malone added.

The Bulls did come out for the second half looking like they were going to take advantage of the ejection, with Nikola Vucevic scoring with the baby hook in the paint and then Coby White cutting the lead to just four with his step-back jumper, but a three-pointer and then two free throws from Julian Strawther ended the threat.

It was as close as the Bulls would get in the second half.

Still a no go

Alex Caruso was still sidelined on Tuesday with a sprained left ankle, but again continued progressing toward a return at some point this week.

“I think he has some discomfort with his cutting,” Donovan said. “It’s certainly better as days have gone by. Talking to the medical staff, they didn’t think it was going to stretch into weeks.”

Good thing, because after falling to the Nuggets, the Bulls have now lost four straight games in which Caruso was in street clothes.

The other layer to Caruso getting healthy is the on-going trade speculation with the elite defender. The Sun-Times has reported since last season that Caruso was considered as untouchable a piece as the Bulls had. That remained true for now. There can always be an offer that the Bulls can’t refuse made, but the front office currently has no desire to move Caruso.