After two straight losses, the Nuggets needed to bounce back. And especially Nikola Jokic, unrecognizable and clumsy against the Clippers. The start of the match against the Rockets leaves little room for optimism. There is a lot of waste and after a good four minutes, where the shots fell in, Michael Malone's troops lowered their tone and were much more than pushed (22-27).
The champion's collective lacks power and it is the baskets of Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope which make us forget Jokic's clumsiness. When the two teams return to the locker room at the break, Houston is logically in front (48-52). The third quarter is an offensive demonstration by the Rockets, with an excellent Jalen Green. It ends with a winning basket at the buzzer, like a symbol (74-92).
An 18-0 that shakes the Rockets
The Nuggets are 25 points behind at the start of the last act. We then say to ourselves that the game is over. But Jokic comes back into play and finally succeeds in making a series of baskets. A little chill passes through the room, and it quickly becomes a hurricane: Denver inflicts an 18-0 on its opponent! The Rockets are unable to score a basket for long minutes.
But as the reigning champions start from very far away, they get by. An offensive rebound from Jeff Green and a jump ball won by Alperen Sengun later, Houston can breathe. Despite endless last seconds, with technical fouls and free throws, the Rockets left Denver with a scare but above all with a success (106-114). This is the first home defeat for the reigning champions.
What you must remember
– And Nikola Jokic woke up… Still very clumsy near the circle, with his little one-handed shots which stumbled on the hoop, the double MVP found a second wind in the last quarter (11 points at 4/7 on the shoot) while he and his teammates were at the bottom of the bucket. Maybe this good sequence will revive him because for three quarters, he was beside his basketball. The Serb finished with 23 points at 9/26 shooting, 16 rebounds and 5 assists. For two matches, he has been at 18/58 shooting, or 31% success…
– First away victory for Houston. Eight matches, eight defeats. This was the record of Ime Udoka's men away from home since the start of the season. This success in Denver opens the counter and therefore feels good. It is not neutral for Denver either since it is the first home defeat of the season for the Nuggets.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
