ROCKETS ROUT NUGGETS 121-105 IN HOUSTON
Between Houston’s losing streak and Denver’s battered roster, something had to give. In desperate need of a win, the Rockets snapped their four-game losing streak by crushing the Nuggets, 121-105 on Wednesday night.
Missing five of their top seven rotation players, including late scratch Michael Porter Jr., the Nuggets fell to 30-14.
“I’m not going to use that (as an excuse),” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “We had enough guys to go out there and get the job done. Beginning of the game, the first six minutes of the first quarter, I thought we defended really well.
Last six of the first quarter was an onslaught.”
They’ll try to bounce back Friday night against Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans.
Nikola Jokic’s eighth triple-double of the season wasn’t enough to combat Houston’s double-barreled backcourt of James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Jokic
finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
“We missed bodies, but that’s not an excuse,” Jokic said. “We need to go out there and compete, and we did.”
Already down starters Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Paul Millsap, Denver’s injury report grew longer Wednesday morning when the team announced that backup center Mason Plumlee would be re-evaluated in two to four weeks with a right foot injury. Plumlee was on the sideline wearing a walking boot on his right foot during the game.
That preceded the news that Porter would be out for Wednesday’s game as a result of back tightness he experienced
during pregame warm-ups.
“It happened, kind of, really late notice,” Malone said postgame. “All I’ll say is this. He apologized to me. I said: ‘Michael, never apologize to me. If you’re injured and you can’t play, let’s get you right before we get you back out there.’
“He’s got such a bright future. I never want a guy going out there if he’s banged up, if he’s hurt and he’s not comfortable playing. No apology necessary. Hopefully, I think Gary’s getting really, really close to getting back, and hopefully Michael Porter, this isn’t a long-term thing.”
Harden’s cat-and-mouse game netted him 27 points on 15 trips to the free-throw line. Westbrook assaulted the rim on several feverish drives, scoring a game-high 28 points to go along with 16 rebounds.
“There’s no rules, we haven’t figured it out,” Malone said of stopping Harden. “There’s ideas, there’s hopes, aspirations.”
The Rockets dominated the glass and caught fire from the 3point line. Westbrook and
Houston center Clint Capela combined for 14 offensive rebounds alone. That combination earned them their eighth consecutive home victory over the Nuggets.
“The rebounding,” Malone said. “To me, that’s the one area that, I don’t care who’s available. That has nothing to do with talent.”
Despite the growing deficit, the Nuggets continued to play hard well in the third quarter. Jerami Grant scored 10 of his 17 in the third, and Torrey Craig didn’t yield. They were even encouraged by Malone, who continued to fight for calls and mimic defensive stances on the sidelines. Heading into the fourth quarter down 92-71, Craig had already scored 12 of his seasonhigh 14 points.
Due to their roster construct and with depth at most positions, Plumlee’s injury may be the hardest for them to overcome. His absence was apparent in the glaring 53-40 rebounding discrepancy.