While the NBA reached the Las Vegas portion of the inaugural in-season tournament, the rest of the league is playing in the consolation bracket.
Or as it is commonly known, the regular season.
The Denver Nuggets couldn’t add the NBA Cup to their Larry O’Brien Trophy, thanks in part to the Houston Rockets, who beat them by 19 on Nov. 24 in their tournament pool. Denver got a measure of revenge five days later and now can earn a split of the season series when it hosts Houston on Friday night.
The Nuggets have dropped two straight games despite having their full lineup available Wednesday at the Los Angeles Clippers. Jamal Murray, playing in just his second game since Nov. 4, led the team with 23 points, but Denver’s winning streak against the Clippers ended at eight.
Nikola Jokic had his ninth triple-double of the season but was overshadowed by the worst shooting performance of his career. Jokic was 9-for-32 from
the field and missed nine shots in a row in the second quarter.
His struggles put the onus on the bench to pick up the slack, but other than Reggie Jackson, Denver’s reserves were ineffective. Nuggets coach Michael Malone knows he has to be patient with his young players — Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are in their second years and Julian Strawther is a rookie — but also hold them accountable.
“They understand they have to be better, and they own it,” Malone said recently. “There is no ‘Yeah, but…’. That kind of work ethic that they all have and that kind of coachability only bodes well for all their futures.”
Friday night will be a battle of contrasts. Denver is unbeaten in nine home games this season while Houston is 0-8 on the road and 9-1 at home.
The Rockets’ most recent win came Wednesday night against Oklahoma City, sparked by Aaron Holiday’s 22 points off the bench. Holiday’s play has been a boost with rookie Amen Thompson out since Nov. 1 with a left ankle sprain. Holiday, in his first season with the Rockets, has impressed coach Ime Udoka.
“He’s been huge,” Udoka said after Wednesday’s win. “When we talked to him in free agency, what we loved about him was he’s always prepared, very professional, another guy that complements the group well, on or off the ball.
“The shooting ability, obviously, but the defensive tenacity, too. Just a guy that’s been through every situation, start if you need him to, or obviously be a great backup as he is now.”
Jeff Green, who missed the win over the Thunder for personal reasons, is expected back Friday. Green, who was on the Nuggets’ title team last season, didn’t receive his championship ring when the Rockets came to Denver last week.
Green said there was miscommunication, but the Nuggets are planning on celebrating the veteran before Friday night’s game.
“I waited 17 years to this point, to wait one more week to get it — I’m not stressing at all,” Green said last week. “This gives me an opportunity to have my family here to enjoy the moment.”
–Field Level Media