Denver's shooting collapse cost them the six-game streak
The Rockets beat the Nuggets 115-101, and the scoreline flatters Denver's effort. This wasn't some defensive chess match. This was Denver shooting 40% overall and a dreadful 27% from three. That's not a bad night. That's an offensive breakdown.
Here's what happened: Denver scored only 45 points in the first half. Forty-five. That's their lowest first-half total all season. Jamal Murray was 4-of-13. Nikola Jokic, for all his brilliance, couldn't impose his will in a game where his teammates were bricking everything around him. The Nuggets had legitimate looks. They got the ball where they wanted it. They just couldn't finish. And against a Rockets team with Kevin Durant and actual shooting prowess, that's an automatic L.
Reed Sheppard's third quarter destroyed Denver's hopes
Reed Sheppard finished with 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting and 6-of-9 from three, but here's what matters: he absolutely murdered Denver in the third quarter. Eleven points on three threes in a stretch where the Nuggets were already struggling. That's not luck—that's a guy understanding the moment and executing. The Rockets jumped out to a 16-point lead (82-66) heading into the fourth, and at that point, the game was dead. Denver was never getting back into it.
This is what separates good complementary pieces from guys who can actually hurt you. Sheppard wasn't waiting for Durant to do everything. When Denver's defense was scrambling and exhausted, he stepped in and put the nail in the coffin. That's the kind of shooting you need as a No. 2 option next to Durant.
Kevin Durant does Kevin Durant things
Thirty-one points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists. Durant didn't need to explode for 40 because Houston had another weapon. That's the luxury the Rockets have that Denver sometimes lacks—actual role players who can contribute when the situation demands it. Durant was methodical, moved the ball, and when he needed to take over in the second quarter (he scored eight of Houston's first ten points), he did it without drama.
This is a guy in his late thirties still playing at an all-NBA level. He's not the most athletic anymore, but he's more skilled than he's ever been. The Nuggets had no answer for his footwork and shooting. When he gets space, he destroys you. When he's being defended tightly, he finds cutting guys. Against a Denver team already falling apart offensively, Durant was basically untouchable.
The Rockets finally get over the hump
This was Houston's first win against Denver this season after two losses, including an overtime defeat earlier this week. That matters because six-game winning streaks look impressive on paper, but they only mean something if you're beating quality teams. The Rockets didn't just stop Denver's run—they did it convincingly while shooting 54% from three. That's elite-level execution.
Nikola Jokic (25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) couldn't will his team to victory when nobody else was hitting shots. That's not on him. When your second-best player is having a game like Jamal Murray had (4-of-13), and your depth guys are ice cold, the MVP can only do so much. Denver proved they're vulnerable when their role players don't shoot. The Rockets just proved they have enough firepower to exploit that vulnerability.