The Denver Nuggets had three days off, so they were well-rested. They encountered a Houston Rockets club, though, who was ready to take on the reigning champions. In a grind-it-out game, the Nuggets led early but wasted their lead in the fourth quarter. They led Houston all the way to the final buzzer, but they lost 107-104 because they were unable to inbound the ball in the final 14 seconds. Although Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic both had incredible triple-doubles, Denver’s failure came from the bench in the end. Houston wins six straight games with to victories from Alperen Sengun and Fred VanVleet.

The Nuggets began with strong defense and quickly scored a couple of baskets. Sengun allowed the Rockets to respond and briefly grab the lead. While Dillon Brooks and Sengun were scoring for Houston, which kept the game close, Jokic did the majority of the damage for Denver. When Michael Malone started substituting players with four minutes remaining in the first quarter, Denver had a slight advantage. Jokic was paired with Peyton Watson, Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, and Colin Gillespie. Joker controlled the final two minutes and increased Denver’s lead to nine until, with forty seconds remaining, Malone substituted him for Zeke Nnaji (full bench alert). With one quarter remaining, Denver had a 30-23 advantage.

The Nuggets had a pseudo starter in Reggie Jackson upon his return, but that team had trouble scoring in the first part of the second quarter. They played for more than two minutes without scoring, which prompted Malone to call an early timeout. Aaron Gordon and Porter Jr. returned, but the offense was remained inert. With the Nuggets still without a point for the quarter, the whole starting lineup returned at the eight and a half minute mark. Jokic put things back in line, putting Denver on the board right away by giving Gordon a dime. Porter began to contribute as well, and the Nuggets’ lead—which had shrunk to one—grew to a robust seven points. With less than two minutes remaining, Houston rallied behind VanVleet and Sengun to tie the game. Jokic had the last say, but Denver was unable to pull away and only had a four-point lead at the half.

With just a Porter three-pointer in the first three minutes of the third quarter, the Nuggets were frigid once more to start the period. In the meantime, Jabari Smith Jr. was clearing away the offensive glass. As the quarter went on, Denver managed to stave off Houston but was unable to pull away from the Rockets. Halfway through the quarter, Denver’s defense held the Nuggets ahead of game despite a string of poor shooting. Soon after, a pair of threes from Jackson and Gordon extended the margin to seven, but Houston once more refused to allow Denver to extend their lead. They were playing tight defense, and it was starting to become a grind-it-out match. With little under two minutes remaining in the quarter, Jokic checked out, leaving Denver ahead 74-69 despite both teams struggling to find the basket. Just before the buzzer, the bench and Gordon lineup made a Gillespie jumper, but Houston was able to close the gap to two points. Denver was ahead 76–74 going into the final frame.

Houston took the lead early in the fourth quarter with a 5-0 run, but Denver’s MPJ players worked hard to win the game back soon. With the momentum shifting with each possession, it didn’t last. The Nuggets resumed their scorching shooting from the field, but Houston made some clutch three-pointers. Houston took their largest lead of the game when VanVleet heated up. Denver was in danger of letting this one slip by since they were unable to purchase a bucket. Malone started all of the starters again, but their coldness didn’t change. With less than five minutes remaining, Jeff Green made a three-pointer to put Houston ahead ten, and it was definitely panic time. After a few minutes, the Nuggets managed to come within six points with a few buckets and stops. But Uncle Jeff got his comeuppance, putting Houston back up nine with less than two minutes remaining after making a few free throws and then what felt like a dagger three. With sixteen seconds remaining, Jokic made a three-pointer to cut the advantage to one, but Denver was not going to give up and went on a 5-0 run behind Jackson to cut the lead to four. Denver still had fourteen seconds remaining and was still three points down even after VanVleet converted both of his free throws. Unfortunately, they were unable to inbundle the ball, and in the end, Houston ices it at the free throw line. Rockets triumph 104–107.

Tonight’s big battle was as exciting as it looked in the buildup. Jokic was utterly overpowering; he somehow keeps getting better. In a losing effort, he recorded 36 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 assists.  Sengun, his counterpart, had 23/8/5 himself and was a steady force for Houston even though he wasn’t as prolific. It makes sense why he is compared to Jokic, and he will truly reach his full potential if he can ever develop a shooting like Nikola has. Ultimately, though, he didn’t have to exert any more effort than he did tonight; despite losing the match, he still prevailed in the game, and that’s what matters most.

There is an issue with the bench, and not in a good manner.

With the exception of Jackson, every starter was good tonight. When I was writing this report, I made it a point to highlight how Denver’s offense collapsed each time Jokic left the court. Malone isn’t helping with full bench lineups and not staggering Porter with the bench in the first half to give them some scoring punch. Instead we get Jackson and four bench players or Gordon and four bench players as the best case scenario. That leaves one veteran to play with four guys all of whom have not cleared the 2000 minute mark in the league and don’t know how to initiate offense. Without Jamal Murray the Nuggets need to find some other way to get scoring from the bench unit and giving Strawther eight minutes a game while the bench degenerates to isos from Jackson and Gordon isn’t it.

The double dip defensive parlay hits early

KCP and Gordon got a steal and a block respectively in the first half so our thing to bet pays out early. Hopefully you threw some cash on it to take a little of the sting off of this loss.