Rockets Welcome Nuggets to Wrap Up Home-Stand
Early Finale. Championship Mirror. No Joke.
Houston rides a five-game winning streak as they host the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. This marks the end of a seven-game home-stand for the Rockets, who have gone 5-1 so far. The squad will embark on a three-game road-trip next weekend, after getting a rare four straight days off after tonight’s tilt. The Nuggets will be without All-Star guard Jamal Murray, who’s expected to miss a few more weeks. Denver’s been fine without Murray, as they’ve cruised to an NBA-best 8-1 record to start their season. Their lone loss came at Minnesota, and the Timberwolves are off to one of their best starts in franchise history, boasting a record of 6-2, good for third in the West at the moment. Superstar center Nikola Jokic has played at an MVP-level all season, carrying the Nuggets since Murray went down with an injury.
This will be the toughest test yet for Houston, but especially Alperen Sengun. The Rockets’ big man has been their best player all season, as he’s been playing at an All-Star caliber level. Sengun will face his toughest matchup all season tonight when he squares off against “The Joker.” The Rockets need to help Sengun defensively, and continue the incredible team defense they’ve displayed over the last few games. Houston has held their opponents below 100 points in three of their last four games, with the exception being the 101 points New Orleans scored on Friday night. Jokic will be handful for this young Rockets team. He’s the best passing big man in the NBA, and is a triple-double threat on a nightly-basis. If Houston can somewhat contain Jokic, they have a chance to pull off the upset.
A victory tonight would be the most impressive of the season for the Rockets. The Nuggets are motivated to show people last season was no fluke. Denver is dead-set determined to repeat as Champions. They have one of the league’s most disciplined coach in Mike Malone, who influences them to play hard on every possession. Besides the Joker, the Nuggets have several role players who can explode for 20-plus points on any given night. These include most notably Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Reggie Jackson. Jokic is the focal point on defense for Houston, but the Rockets need to avoid letting any of the aforementioned players get hot, or Denver could steamroll to an easy victory. Houston has played extremely well during their current five-game win-streak. However, tonight’s matchup is by far another animal compared to the teams the Rockets have faced so far this season. Sunday night’s battle will be the best indicator of how good this Rockets team really is at the moment, as they’ll have a chance to stare straight into the face of a Championship Mirror. If Houston can continue to play together, and somehow manage to contain Jokic, they have a shot to upset the defending champs tonight… and close their early-season home-stand with a huge statement win.
Toyota Center: Houston, Texas
Jersey Colors:
Denver Nuggets (8-1): Blue
Houston Rockets (5-3): Red
Tip-Off: 6:00 PM CT
TV: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass