Rockets Seek First Road Win, Face Nuggets for Final Time
Death Row’s End. From Idols to Rivals. Break the Trend.
Fresh off another impressive home win, the Rockets are still seeking their first road win of the season. And their next challenge away from Toyota Center could be their toughest yet. On Friday night, the Rockets face the defending champion Denver Nuggets for the final time this season. It feels like Houston’s played half their games against Denver, as this is the fourth meeting between the teams in the last four weeks. The Nuggets are coming off a disappointing loss to the Clippers after they led by 15 points in L.A. after the first quarter, only to became prone to a Clippers comeback victory. Nikola Jokic is also coming off the worst shooting game (9-for-32) of his entire career.And the Rockets are already 2-1 against Denver this season, with the loss coming in the Mile High City. To make matters worse, the Nuggets are undefeated (9-0) at home, while the Rockets are winless on the road (0-8) to start the season. None of these factors bode well for this young Houston team’s chances tonight.
Nuggets head coach Mike Malone likely gave his team an earful after their latest loss. Expect Denver to be ready to play with energy from the opening tip. If the Rockets can match their intensity, they’ll have a chance tonight, but they’ll need some luck on their side as well. Alperen Sengun has fared well in his battles against the Joker. Jokic has gotten the better of Sengun, but Alpy has fared well down the stretch of games, especially in Houston’s two victories over Denver. Expect another competitive matchup between the big men, as Jokic has evolved from Sengun’s idol into his rival on the court.
If there’s any good news, this is the end of the Houston’s Death Row-like schedule to start the season. After tonight, the schedule eases up considerably. The Rockets returns home to host the Spurs, losers of 15 straight games, before playing the Grizzlies in a home-and-home, with the first game being in Houston, and second in Memphis. If the squad can’t earn their first road win tonight, expect them to take care of the 4-16 Grizzlies next Friday. So, Houston’s road woes shouldn’t continue much longer. The team has a chance to upset the Nuggets and win the season-series tonight, but it’s an incredibly challenging task at hand. It’s always hard for opponents to play in Denver, even when the Nuggets stink, because of the altitude. However, if the Rockets have shown people anything so far this season, it’s that they don’t back down from any challenge. And they’ve been relatively competitive in almost every game this season, despite having a 9-9 record. Other than Amen Thompson, who’s rehabbing in the G-League and should be prepped to return soon, Houston is fully healthy (minus Jock Landale). Denver’s also healthy, hungry, and determined to stay undefeated in their building. Can the Rockets final break the trend, and steal their first road win? With the odds stacked against them… a victory would defiantly be Houston’s most impressive of the entire season.
Ball Arena: Denver, Colorado
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (9-9): Black
Denver Nuggets (14-8): White
Tip-Off: 8:00 PM CT
TV: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass