In the third matchup of the season—and following our preview of the December 15 overtime thriller—the Houston Rockets defeated the Denver Nuggets 115-101 on Saturday at Ball Arena, avenging two prior narrow losses and ending Denver's six-game winning streak. Kevin Durant led Houston with 31 points (five threes), while Reed Sheppard added 28 points (six threes), improving the Rockets to 17-8.
Houston built early momentum after Denver led 29-26 after the first quarter. The Rockets outscored the Nuggets 27-16 in the second for a 53-45 halftime lead, with Durant scoring 16 points (perfect 3-for-3 from three) and Sheppard adding 11 (three threes) off the bench.
Sheppard's third quarter was pivotal, sparking an 11-0 run with three straight threes in the final 1:15 to hit 22 points (6-for-8 from deep), extending the lead to 82-66 entering the fourth. Jabari Smith Jr. posted a double-double (22 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks).
Nikola Jokic paced Denver with 25 points (9-for-20), seven rebounds, and five assists in 29 minutes but fouled out in the third. Jamal Murray struggled (15 points, 4-for-13), while Bruce Brown had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Alperen Sengun contributed four points, two rebounds, three assists, and a block in limited first-half minutes.
Durant and Sheppard combined for 59 points, 11 threes, and 14-for-15 free throws. Both teams rank top-three in offense and three-point shooting, but Houston's perimeter efficiency overwhelmed Denver's defense. This victory prevented Houston's first three-game skid, while Denver fell to 24-4 after their third loss. Stay tuned to the Nuggets-Rockets Series for more updates.
