Murray's 38 Points Not Enough as Nuggets Fall to Rockets
Denver's offense stalled behind their star, resulting in a 110-100 defeat despite a late third-quarter surge.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
The Denver Nuggets lost 110-100 to the Houston Rockets on Monday night, exposing a lack of secondary scoring that their defense could not overcome.
Jamal Murray scored 38 points on 14-of-23 shooting, serving as the sole reliable offensive option for Denver. The rest of the team combined for 62 points, relying heavily on defense to stay within striking distance.
The Nuggets trailed by 19 points in the second quarter before a defensive push in the third allowed them to cut the deficit. They forced turnovers and disrupted Houston's pick-and-roll plays, creating a run that brought the score to 60-60 with five minutes remaining in the third period.
Houston coach Ime Udoka called a timeout that halted the momentum. Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart trapped Christian Braun at the half-court line, leading to a turnover and a fast-break basket. Denver committed three consecutive errors in the final minutes of the third quarter, allowing Houston to take a nine-point lead.
Nikola Jokic contributed 25 points and 16 rebounds but shot 11-for-21 from the floor. Christian Braun added four points, while Aaron Gordon scored three on six attempts. Gordon committed an eight-second violation with four minutes left in the game, a miscue that gave Houston additional possessions while Denver trailed by eight.
Bench players DeMar DeRozan and Spencer Jones struggled to impact the game. DeRozan finished with seven points on eight shots and a minus-16 plus-minus rating. Jones recorded a minus-21 plus-minus. Both players had started the season with strong bench contributions but faded against Houston's defense.
Head coach David Adelman shifted his rotation in the fourth quarter to pair Jokic and Murray on the floor. The Nuggets closed within four points, but Reed Sheppard and VanVleet drained deep three-pointers to extend the lead. Sengun and the Rockets' front line secured key offensive rebounds that prevented Denver from reclaiming the game.
Murray played 39 minutes, while Jokic logged 38 minutes and 38 seconds. The Nuggets improve to 5-4 on the season, though they stand 1-4 against teams with winning records. They travel to Memphis on Wednesday for their next matchup.
