The Houston Rockets outperformed the Denver Nuggets with a final score of 114 to 106. Key performances included a standout game by Fred VanVleet for the Rockets, who scored 26 points with a strong shooting performance. For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic was dominant with 23 points and 16 rebounds, contributing significantly despite the loss. The tables reflect individual efforts and team statistics, illustrating the competitive nature of this match.
Houston Rockets vs Denver Nuggets Match Player Stats and Box Score
Houston Rockets Match Player Stats
| Starters | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS | |
| J. Smith Jr.PF | 25 | 3-9 | 0-2 | 3-4 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 9 | |
| D. BrooksSF | 33 | 6-12 | 4-10 | 0-0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 16 | |
| A. SengunC | 34 | 7-14 | 0-1 | 3-5 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 17 | |
| F. VanVleetPG | 40 | 6-17 | 4-10 | 10-13 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 26 | |
| Ja. GreenSG | 35 | 8-17 | 2-9 | 7-9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -8 | 25 | |
| Bench | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS | |
| Je. GreenPF | 27 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 5-6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | |
| T. EasonF | 17 | 0-4 | 0-2 | 3-4 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 3 | |
| J. TateSF | 13 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
| A. HolidayG | 16 | 3-5 | 2-2 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 8 | |
| R. Bullock Jr.SF | DNP-COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| B. MarjanovicC | DNP-COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| N. WilliamsG | DNP-COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| Team | 35-82 | 13-39 | 31-42 | 11 | 36 | 47 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 20 | 114 | |||
| 42.70% | 33.30% | 73.80% | |||||||||||||
Denver Nuggets Match Player Stats
| Starters | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS | |
| A. GordonPF | 22 | 1-5 | 0-2 | 1-5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -12 | 3 | |
| M. Porter Jr.SF | 40 | 8-12 | 3-6 | 1-1 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 20 | |
| N. JokicC | 34 | 9-26 | 1-2 | 4-7 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 23 | |
| J. MurrayPG | 32 | 6-17 | 4-8 | 5-5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 21 | |
| K. Caldwell-PopeSG | 25 | 5-6 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -16 | 14 | |
| Bench | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS | |
| P. WatsonF | 26 | 4-9 | 0-1 | 5-5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 13 | |
| J. HolidaySF | 6 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -12 | 2 | |
| D. JordanC | 12 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 2 | |
| R. JacksonPG | 25 | 2-8 | 0-4 | 2-2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
| C. BraunG | 14 | 1-4 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -9 | 2 | |
| J. StrawtherG | 4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -15 | 0 | |
| Z. NnajiPF | DNP-COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| H. TysonF | DNP-COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| J. PickettG | DNP-COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| Team | 38-90 | 10-28 | 20-27 | 12 | 35 | 47 | 22 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 106 | |||
| 42.20% | 35.70% | 74.10% | |||||||||||||
Game Summary
DENVER — Jalen Green scored 26 points, Fred VanVleet added 25, and the Houston Rockets held off a late surge from the Denver Nuggets to secure a 114-106 victory on Friday night, marking their first road win of the season.
The Rockets had lost their first eight road games before handing Denver its first home loss in 10 games. Denver has now dropped three consecutive games, with NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic struggling with his shooting. Jokic finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds but shot just 9 of 26 from the field, bringing his recent two-game shooting total to 18 of 58.
“I took shots I always take,” Jokic said. “I didn’t shoot any crazy shots, the ball just didn’t want to go in.”
Alperen Sengun contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Dillon Brooks added 16 for Houston, which nearly lost a 25-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Rockets missed their last 11 field goal attempts over the final 8:26 and went more than six minutes without a basket after leading 103-78. Denver closed the gap with an 18-point run, cutting the deficit to 103-96, but Houston clinched the win by scoring their last 11 points from the free-throw line.
“It goes a long way,” Brooks said of their road win. “It gives us confidence and reassurance that we can win on the road, even when things get chaotic in the fourth quarter.”
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 21 points, and Michael Porter Jr. chipped in 20.
“We were trying not to get embarrassed,” Jokic said of Denver’s fourth-quarter comeback. “We had our backs against the wall and just wanted to fight. Maybe we need to start with that mentality from the beginning. Hopefully, this helps us learn and improve.”
Jokic, who shot 9 of 32 in Wednesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, missed his first five shots on Friday. He finally made a driving layup with 5:12 left in the second quarter but missed his next four attempts, finishing the first half 1 of 10.
Read More: Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets Match Player Stats
Sengun took pride in his defense against the two-time MVP. “Normally, he makes those tough shots,” Sengun said. “It wasn’t his day, but I think I did a great job.”
Jokic found some rhythm in the third quarter, making four shots, but Green’s 10 points helped Houston pull ahead. VanVleet and Jae’Sean Tate nailed three-pointers to close out the period with a 92-74 lead.
Before the game, Rockets veteran Jeff Green received his 2023 championship ring, more than a week after the Nuggets were supposed to honor him as part of their title-winning team. Denver played a minute-long video highlighting Green’s contributions during his two seasons with the Nuggets.