Denver Nuggets lose to Houston Rockets in 110-100 home game

Houston, Texas. The Denver Nuggets lost 110-100 to the Houston Rockets on Monday night. The defeat ended a streak of wins against teams with losing records. The Nuggets are now 5-4 on the season. They are 1-4 against opponents with winning records.

The game was defined by the Nuggets' inability to score without their star guard. Jamal Murray recorded 38 points on 14-of-23 shooting. He was the only Denver player to finish with double-digit points. The rest of the roster combined for 72 points on inefficient shooting.

Houston took control early. The Rockets built a 19-point lead in the second quarter. Denver defense improved in the third quarter. The team scored on an 18-2 run to tie the game at 60-60. This forced Rockets head coach Ime Udoka to call a timeout for the first time in the game.

The tie did not last. Houston guards Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart trapped Christian Braun. This pressure led to turnovers and fast-break baskets for the visitors. The Nuggets trailed by nine points three minutes after the tie. They never closed the gap further than four points in the final frame.

Nikola Jokic contributed 25 points and 16 rebounds. He shot 11-of-21 from the field. Christian Braun was held to four points on the offensive end despite strong defensive efforts. Aaron Gordon scored three points on six shots. He committed an eight-second violation with four minutes remaining and Denver down by eight.

Bench players DeMar DeRozan and Spencer Jones struggled to impact the game. DeRozan scored seven points on eight attempts and finished with a minus-16 plus-minus rating. Jones had a minus-21 plus-minus rating. Head coach David Adelman played Jokic and Murray together in the fourth quarter to spark an offense that never fully emerged.

The Nuggets will travel to Memphis on Wednesday. Murray played 39 minutes in the loss. Jokic played 38 minutes and 38 seconds. The team will look to adjust its offensive execution before the next game.