The Houston Rockets endured a harsh reality check Wednesday night, falling 129-93 to the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in a pivotal Western Conference clash.
The loss dropped Houston to 40-25, handing Denver a 40-26 record and a 3-1 edge in the season series, including a critical tiebreaker in the playoff race.
The Rockets stayed competitive early, trailing 53-47 at halftime after trading blows in the first two quarters.
But Denver’s third-quarter surge, outscoring Houston 40-22, dismantled the visitors. The Nuggets closed with a 36-24 final period, leaving Houston’s hopes in ruins.
Houston’s perimeter shooting collapsed, making just four of 33 attempts from beyond the arc, a miserable 12.1% clip.
Alperen Şengün, the Turkish national team standout, tallied 10 points with three blocks, three assists, and two fouls in 24 minutes, showing flashes of defensive versatility but struggling against Jokic and Denver’s dominant frontcourt.
Amen Thompson led Houston with 16 points, while Kevin Durant added 11 points on his fewest field-goal attempts of the season, unable to ignite a comeback.
Houston also fell behind on the boards, losing control of the paint and turning the ball over at key moments.
Denver’s balance and efficiency were impossible to stop.
Jamal Murray carried the scoring load with 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting, knocking down three of four from deep and adding four assists and a steal.
Nikola Jokic orchestrated the attack with a triple-double, 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists, while also collecting five steals and a block.
Remarkably, Jokic completed the triple-double before the fourth quarter, marking his 25th of the season and 187th of his career, highlighting his unique ability to control games on both ends of the floor.
Bench contributions from Christian Braun (19 points) and Cameron Johnson (17 points) kept Denver’s momentum high, with the Nuggets finishing 55.2% from the field and 53.1% from three.
The second-half margin of 76-46 underscored the stark contrast in execution and intensity between the teams.