The Rockets started the game in the best way, with a quick 13-0. Against them, Nikola Jokic decided to strike from afar, but without much success. The MVP of the 2023 Finals insists behind the arc or causes fouls near the circle. He is the only threat for the Nuggets, struggling in the first quarter (29-19).
It doesn’t get better in the second as the Rockets pass the second with a big 18-2. The defense has gone up a notch, it steals balls and, opposite, the reigning champion does not show a conquering face. The gap at the break (60-43) is therefore logical.
The weak start of Michael Malone’s troops in the second half was stifled by the winning shots of Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. (84-69). Even the 6-0 at the start of the last quarter from Jokic and his gang did not shake up Houston. Green, very good in the last act, had fun with several dunks which gave his team some breathing room and the Rockets headed towards a well-deserved victory (105-86).
What you must remember
Denver eliminated from the tournament. Both teams are in Group B of the Western Conference and with this result, Houston is at 2-1 and can still hope to qualify with a good result Tuesday night against Dallas. For the Nuggets on the other hand, with a 2-2 record, it is already over.
A gutted champion. This trip to Texas concluded a “road trip” of five trips in one week for the Nuggets. Clearly, they no longer had legs or ideas and in the face of such solid training, it paid off. The symbol of this match is Aaron Gordon’s performance: 2 points at 0/12 on the shoot! He and his teammates shot 34% and 23% from 3-point range.
A beautiful duel Nikola Jokic – Alperen Sengun. The second is so compared to the first that a clash between the two men was bound to be closely scrutinized. The double MVP played his game, being enormous: 38 points, 19 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals. Everything wasn’t perfect but we only saw him on the Colorada side. The Turk, often pitted against the Serb one-on-one, responded with a high-quality performance: 21 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists.
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
