**ESPN:** [recap](https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401584810) – [boxscore](https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401584810) – [gamecast](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401584810) | **NBA.com:** [boxscore](https://www.nba.com/game/0022300182) – [shotchart](https://www.nba.com/game/0022300182/game-charts)
||**Q1**|**Q2**|**Q3**|**Q4**|**Final**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**DEN**|**30**|**20**|**26**|**28**|**104**|[](/DEN)|
**HOU**|**23**|**23**|**28**|**33**|**107**|[](/HOU)|
**Team**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
[](/DEN)**DEN**|**42-91 (46.2)**|**9-32 (28.1)**|**11-14 (78.6)**|**12**|**49**|**24**|**11**|**3**|**5**|**20**|**104**|
[](/HOU)**HOU**|**37-87 (42.5)**|**10-32 (31.3)**|**23-29 (79.3)**|**12**|**45**|**20**|**9**|**7**|**4**|**16**|**107**|
**[](/DEN)DEN**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
M. Porter Jr.^^SF|37:43|11-19 (57.9)|3-10 (30.0)|0-0 (0.0)|2|10|0|2|0|1|3|25|+2|
A. Gordon^^PF|38:30|6-10 (60.0)|1-2 (50.0)|3-6 (50.0)|1|8|5|2|0|2|2|16|+8|
N. Jokic^^C|38:15|13-26 (50.0)|2-6 (33.3)|8-8 (100.0)|6|21|11|3|0|1|3|36|+12|
K. Caldwell-Pope^^SG|37:33|2-5 (40.0)|1-2 (50.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|1|1|1|0|3|5|+6|
R. Jackson^^PG|27:53|6-12 (50.0)|2-5 (40.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|4|2|1|0|0|2|14|-3|
C. Gillespie|20:07|3-9 (33.3)|0-2 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|1|2|3|1|2|0|2|6|0|
C. Braun|13:42|0-2 (0.0)|0-2 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|0|1|0|0|1|0|-11|
J. Strawther|7:47|0-2 (0.0)|0-2 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|1|0|0|0|2|0|-5|
P. Watson|7:11|0-2 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|0|1|0|0|1|2|0|-6|
Z. Nnaji|11:19|1-4 (25.0)|0-1 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|2|4|0|0|0|0|0|2|-18|
**Totals**||**42-91 (46.2)**|**9-32 (28.1)**|**11-14 (78.6)**|**12**|**49**|**24**|**11**|**3**|**5**|**20**|**104**||
**DNP:** ***Justin Holiday***, ***DeAndre Jordan***, ***Braxton Key***, ***Jalen Pickett***
**Inactive:** ***Vlatko Cancar***, ***Jay Huff***, ***Jamal Murray***, ***Hunter Tyson***
**[](/HOU)HOU**|**Min**|**FG**|**3PT**|**FT**|**OR**|**Reb**|**Ast**|**TO**|**Stl**|**Blk**|**PF**|**Pts**|**+/-**|
|:—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:|
D. Brooks^^SF|29:09|3-6 (50.0)|1-3 (33.3)|3-4 (75.0)|0|4|2|3|0|0|4|10|-9|
J. Smith Jr.^^PF|20:04|4-7 (57.1)|0-2 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|2|7|0|1|0|1|1|8|-6|
A. Sengun^^C|34:42|9-18 (50.0)|0-2 (0.0)|5-6 (83.3)|4|8|5|3|1|2|2|23|-8|
J. Green^^SG|34:45|1-13 (7.7)|1-4 (25.0)|6-6 (100.0)|0|8|5|0|1|0|1|9|+10|
F. VanVleet^^PG|40:36|9-21 (42.9)|3-9 (33.3)|5-7 (71.4)|0|2|4|2|0|0|2|26|-4|
A. Holiday|16:37|2-8 (25.0)|1-5 (20.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0|2|2|0|0|0|1|5|+8|
J. Tate|20:22|1-3 (33.3)|0-0 (0.0)|1-2 (50.0)|3|6|0|0|3|0|2|3|+2|
J. Landale|2:19|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|0-0 (0.0)|1|1|0|0|0|0|1|0|-4|
T. Eason|15:56|3-4 (75.0)|2-3 (66.7)|0-0 (0.0)|1|3|2|0|1|0|1|8|+12|
J. Green|25:30|5-7 (71.4)|2-4 (50.0)|3-4 (75.0)|1|4|0|0|1|1|1|15|+14|
**Totals**||**37-87 (42.5)**|**10-32 (31.3)**|**23-29 (79.3)**|**12**|**45**|**20**|**9**|**7**|**4**|**16**|**107**||
**DNP:** ***Reggie Bullock Jr.***, ***Boban Marjanovic***, ***Nate Williams***
**Inactive:** ***Nate Hinton***, ***Victor Oladipo***, ***Jermaine Samuels Jr.***, ***Amen Thompson***, ***Cam Whitmore***
||**PITP**|**2^^nd PTS**|**FB PTS**|**BIG LD**|**BEN PTS**|**TOT TOV**|**TOV PTS**||
|:—|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|:–:|
**DEN**|58|17|3|9|8|11|11|[](/DEN)|
**HOU**|42|17|3|10|31|9|7|[](/HOU)|
**Lead Changes: 7** | **Times Tied: 3** | **Gametime: 2:10** | **Attendance: 18055**
*Officials: Tony Brothers, Jonathan Sterling, John Butler*
by BigHoneyBot
30 Comments
Fuck me that inbound play gave me flashback of 2009 playoff inbounding mistakes vs the Lakers.
knew we were going to lose when Malone kept bench in at the beginning of the 4th, we’d lost momentum ending the 3rd and kept that going well into the 4th
If the bench did literally anything, literally made one shot in that 1st half stretch, this would have been way different.
Uncle Jeff had his flaws, but could always come off the bench and be good for a few buckets, need CB to lose the passiveness and start playing that role
Also the constant FT discrepencys this team suffers is a farce.
Reggie is looking good. Jok good. Gordo needs his FTs. GWS Mal.
This night was one of the most significant bummers of my lifetime
CB was out there doing cardio tonight
You don’t ask for the ball at the knee level when you’re 6’10. Fun game tho. Fuck you Jeff.
What does Zeke even do? Not much per year, but signing him to a 3 year deal was baffling then, and is baffling now. He’s eternally 2 years away from being 2 years away. Injuries have stunted his development somewhat, but he’s shown basically zero growth in any capacity since he was a rookie, and he forgot how to shoot in the process. All he has going for him is ‘he hustles’. I’ll accept the downvotes for being a ‘hater’, but man he just isn’t the solution to any problem we have.
CB and Pwat can’t play together. Transition offense is not dependable, it is a bonus
Bench is fine with Reggie running it. He’s playing well and would look even better against benches. I’d almost rather start Gillespie until Jamal is back so the bench can have the vet presence to calm them down
Would have loved to win this game, but at the end of the day we’re playing without Jamal on the road, and that’s just tough. We’re still in great position and if we can make it to Jamal’s return without dropping a bunch in a row, then we’ll be in great shape.
Finally a game where the officiating wasn’t a determining factor in the outcome. Rockets fts – 29, Nugs fts – 14
I’d rather lose this and dominate on Tuesday. The Rockets are good. This is only our second loss of the season as well. Plus it was against Uncle Jeff so who really gives a shit
Dang. Only on pace to win 66 games now.
Bench was stinky tonight my god. No transition points either yikes. Also fuck FVV I hate that over paid fuck
Zeke isn’t it. Time to cut our losses and try something else.
Cant believe we got it close at end… Yes bench was atrocious but refs were fucking us entire night 29 FTs to 14 . Every time they drive and force a contact it was foul against us . Gordon clearly blocks Green on 2:90 till end of game, boom its a foul. Should have challenged it.
Meanwhile MPJ obviously got hit 5 times by Tate before Tate grabbed the ball and they called a jump ball where Rockets scored 3PT. There was no reason for FT Disparity to be that huge aside Tony Brothers. Fuck him
10 games into the season, 8-2, missing our 2nd best player. Bench is full of young players, on fire vs the Pels, cold tonight. I’m not that concerned
I think this game just shows us all how important Jamal Murray is for our second unit.
Bench scores 8 in a 3 point loss. Three point shooting less than 30%. Maybe half the FTA of the other team? Game was close when honestly idk if it should have been. Sometimes you just can’t win.
We would’ve won if Katy Winge announced tbh
I blame the Zumba halftime performance
this bench needs reggie’s offense and jamal or jok staggered with them. with mal out, their passivity is really getting exposed. we’ll be fine, but i also hope that this game is a wake up call for the youngins to figure their shit out.
Bummer man. Jamal needed. Braun I’m going to keep hoping is just in a slump. MPJ needs to be the MAIN stagger with the bench and it’s been obvious for too long (Malones biggest weakness, not understanding how to make a second unit work). At least we aren’t the Bucks and whatever’s happening there. Go nuggs. On to the next.
I know the bench was dogshit but this game has Tony Brothers imprint everywhere. How tf do the defending champions shoot 15 less free throws when they are scoring 22 more points in the paint
Whyu unclre do this to us
Ill give this game up to rust
Dont mind losing to the Rockets, obviously it sucks wasting this monster performance from Jokic but its obvious how badly we need Murray, bench + Reggie were i think 1/14 in the first half, 35% would have put us up by 12-14 instead of 4 at half, still 70+ games to figure out and get our youngsters ready for the playoffs, still at the top chilling