DENVER — Jalen Green scored 26 factors, Fred VanVleet had 25 and the Houston Rockets withstood a livid Denver rally to beat the Nuggets 114-106 on Friday night time for his or her first highway win of the season.
Houston dropped its first eight video games on the highway earlier than handing Denver its first loss at house in 10 video games. The Nuggets have dropped three in a row whereas NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic continues to battle along with his shot. He completed with 23 factors and 16 rebounds however was 9 for 26 from the sector and is eighteen of 58 during the last two video games.
“I took shots I always take,” Jokic mentioned. “I didn’t shoot any crazy shots, the ball just didn’t want to go in.”
Alperen Sengun had 17 factors and 10 rebounds and Dillon Brooks scored 16 for the Rockets, who almost squandered a 25-point lead within the fourth quarter. They missed their final 11 photographs from the sector over the ultimate 8:26 and went greater than six minutes with out scoring after main 103-78.
Denver ran off 18 straight factors to get inside 103-96 late however Houston scored its last 11 factors from the foul line to carry on.
“It goes a long way,” Brooks mentioned of ending the highway frustration. “It gives us confidence and reassurance that we can win on the road, and figure out how to win on the road with everything going haywire in the fourth quarter.”
PHOTOS: Green scores 26 as Rockets beat Nuggets 114-106 for 1st highway win
Jamal Murray scored 21 factors and Michael Porter Jr. had 20 for the Nuggets.
“We were trying to not get embarrassed,” Jokic mentioned of the fourth-quarter rally. “We had our backs to the wall and we just wanted to fight. Maybe we need to have that from the beginning.
“Hopefully it can help us just to learn from it and get better from it.”
Jokic was 9 of 32 from the sector in Wednesday night time’s loss on the Los Angeles Clippers and missed his first 5 photographs Friday night time. He lastly obtained one to go, a driving layup with 5:12 left within the second quarter, after which missed his subsequent 4 makes an attempt to complete the half 1 for 10.
The 21-year-old Sengun was pleased along with his protection on the two-time MVP.
“Normally he makes all of those hard shots,” Sengun mentioned. “It wasn’t his day but I did a great job, I think.”
Jokic discovered reasonable success within the third quarter when he made 4 photographs however the Rockets, led by Green’s 10 factors, pulled away. VanVleet, who missed the group’s loss in Denver on Nov. 29, and Jae’Sean Tate hit 3-pointers to shut out the interval and provides Houston a 92-74 lead.
Rockets veteran Jeff Green acquired his 2023 championship ring earlier than the sport, greater than every week after he was speculated to be honored as a part of the Nuggets’ title group. Denver confirmed a minute-long video of Green’s highlights from his two seasons with the Nuggets.
UP NEXT
Rockets: Will host San Antonio on Monday night time.
Nuggets: Play at Atlanta on Monday night time.
