Friday night’s Emirate NBA Cup matchup between the Nuggets and Rockets was billed as one of the marquee events of the season, and it lived up to the hype as fans were treated to 48 minutes of outstanding basketball. Ultimately, the Nuggets prevailed, going into Houston and getting an impressive win, 112-109.
The Nuggets came into this game without one starter in Christian Braun, and just moments into the game, they lost Aaron Gordon to a hamstring injury. Early in the opening quarter, Gordon was driving to the basket and reinjured the hamstring that has been nagging him to start the season.
He left the game and didn’t return, and David Adelman said after the game that he expects Gordon to miss some time. It’s a good thing the Nuggets cleaned up their depth issues in the offseason, because they are now set to face an extended stretch without two key starters.
Nuggets’ stars outshine Rockets’
But the early returns were okay as the Nuggets were able to overcome their absences and get the win in a hostile environment. Nikola Jokic led the way with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals, while Jamal Murray added 26 points and 10 assists on 10/16 shooting, including multiple clutch buckets down the stretch.
The Rockets, on the other hand, were carried by their complementary players. Reed Sheppard exploded for 27 points, while Jabari Smith added 21, and Amen Thompson had 22. But their two superstars weren’t on the level of Denver’s.
Alperen Sengun struggled a bit, scoring just 14 points on 6/14 shooting. He pulled down 5 boards and dished out 6 assists, but this certainly wasn’t one of his better games. Kevin Durant, the biggest pick-up of the offseason wasn’t his best either. He scored a mere 13 points on 5/15 shooting, and couldn’t buy a big hoop down the stretch.
It was a great outcome for the Nuggets, but they had to strain themselves to get it, and this game just reinforced why depth is so important. Murray hit 40 minutes in this one, and Jokic played 39. Frankly, he probably would have been out there even more if not for some foul trouble.
It’s one thing to go out and get a big win in a huge spot on national TV against a team that figures to be one of your biggest contenders in the Western Conference. But the Nuggets can’t fall right back into the trap of running their players into the ground in the regular season.