Houston Tries to Carry Momentum to Denver as Rockets Battle Upstart Nuggets
Fresh off their best win of the season, the Houston Rockets will try and continue winning games the way they did all of last year: hot shooting, effective ball movement, and chemistry as a unit. Carmelo Anthony didn’t make the trip to Denver and his status as Rocket is up in the air. He likely has played his last game in a Rocket uniform. Houston has actually looked more relaxed and comfortable in the D’Antoni system with Melo absent. Anthony is not to blame for the Rockets early-season woes, the team has struggled mightily as a whole. However, he hasn’t made the team better and to be blunt, his contributions simply aren’t needed in Houston. He doesn’t fit like the Rockets expected him too. Melo needs the ball to be effective even if he’s not scoring off the dribble. The problem for Melo is the Rockets need the ball to be in either Harden or Paul’s hands for the team to be effective. For the first time all year, the Beard and CP3 collectively played like they did last season in Sunday night’s win over the Pacers. The Rockets will be taking on a Denver Nuggets team who sports one of the deepest rosters in the entire association. The Nuggets are vastly improved over last year’s squad who barely missed out on the playoffs the last night of the season. Nikola Jokic is the most versatile big man in a game that has evolved from an interior-oriented game into a perimeter-driven game dominated by guards. Jokic (aka The Joker) is arguably the best big man in basketball (certainly the best passing big man) and Clint Capela will have his hands full trying to go toe to toe with the Nuggets’ star. Gary Harris has had a nice start to the season, along with Jamal Murray who will provide the spark for Denver in the backcourt as Will ‘The Thrill” Barton is still out for the Nuggets with an injury. Paul Millsap looks healthy again and is coming off his best game of the young season. The All-Star forward is the glue guy for Denver and the Rockets will need to control the glass against Denver’s imposing big men if they want to come out of the altitude with a victory.
Pepsi Center – Denver, Colorado
8 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet