Nuggets at Rockets
The Houston Rockets ended a seven-game losing streak with a win at lowly Charlotte on Monday. The Denver Nuggets, who visit Houston on Wednesday, should provide a much bigger test for the NBA’s worst scoring defense. The Rockets allow 103.2 points while the Nuggets, who have won seven of nine, put up 103.1 and went for 121 in an overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
The Rockets are also one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA but have been off lately, averaging 94.1 points in the last eight contests. Seven of those eight were on the road, however, and Houston has put up at least 104 in each of its last four home games. Denver took the first meeting in a surprisingly low-scoring affair, 93-87 on Nov. 7, as James Harden struggled to 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting for the Rockets. Harden is coming off a 29-point effort on Monday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), Comcast SportsNet Houston, NBATV
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (25-18): Denver has some of the same problems as Houston on the defensive end but has usually been able to make up for it on offense. After a surprising 112-108 home loss to one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Washington Wizards, on Friday, the Nuggets took out the best when they outlasted the Thunder on Sunday 121-118. Seven players reached double figures in scoring in the win over Oklahoma City, and that balance along with a strong rebounding philosophy has helped Denver go 14-6 over the last 20 contests. Wednesday marks a rare one-game road trip for the Nuggets, who will be back in Colorado for a six-game homestand beginning on Saturday. Denver is 16-3 at home but 9-15 on the road.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (22-21): Of Harden’s 29 points on Monday, 19 came at the free throw line. The star guard is shooting 25 percent from the floor over the last four games, including 4-of-27 from 3-point range. Harden has also turned the ball over 4.9 times in the last eight contests. The bench came through for 47 points in the win at Charlotte to help take some of the pressure off Harden, Jeremy Lin and the rest of the starters. The Rockets held a players-only meeting over the weekend to address some of the effort issues on the defensive end and looked stronger in that area against the Bobcats. The recent slide has dipped the Rockets into eighth place in the Western Conference, and three of the next four will be on the road to close out January.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Denver has taken four straight in the series, including three in a row at Houston.
2. Rockets C Greg Smith (personal) missed Monday’s game and is questionable for Wednesday.
3. Nuggets F Wilson Chandler has scored in double figures in three of four games since returning to the lineup on Jan. 13.