The Denver Nuggets had a tall task in front of them on Friday night facing the Houston Rockets in Houston on national TV and playing an NBA Cup game. It got even taller with Aaron Gordon leaving the game early but the Nuggets were not to be deterred. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray looked like the stars they are and despite the Rockets giving the Nuggets everything they have Denver was able to hold out and secure a huge victory to maintain their lead in Group C. Final score 112-109 good guys.

Murray got things started for Denver with their first five points but went cold after that as did the rest of the team. To add injury to insult, Gordon had to leave the game and head back to the locker room after only a few minutes after the tip. Luckily, Houston couldn’t buy a shot and the Nuggets built a lead using their depth. The Rockets were absolutely frigid on offense and mustered only eight points in eight minutes. Peyton Watson built on his big performance in the previous game and had a couple nice drives to the basket. Denver’s lead continued to grow with the lid continuing to be on Houston’s basket. The Nuggets defense deserved credit too, they were suffocating and the offense made the most of their fast break opportunities to keep the lead around a dozen as the quarter closed out. After one the score was 25-12.

Denver struggled to get buckets starting the second quarter but Houston still hadn’t found much rhythm in their offense either. Eventually both offenses got going and they traded baskets. The Rockets went on a run, Alperen Sengun had a crazy over the head from his butt transition pass and David Adelman needed a timeout. After an 8-0 Houston run the Nuggets stopped the bleeding. Bruce Brown injected some energy into the game and helped keep Denver’s lead near ten. Houston responded, Kevin Durant and Reed Sheppard hit back-to-back threes to cut the lead to five. The Nuggets struggled to hit shots heading down the stretch of the half while the Rockets canned threes. Houston went on a run, with Sheppard once again being the catalyst, and with just over three minutes left they took the lead 38-36. Tim Hardaway Jr. stopped the bleeding with a couple shots but Denver refused to defend the three-point line. That let Houston stay in front, and they closed the half leading 49-46.

Jokic carried Denver’s offense to start the second half. He manufactured a 7-0 run all on his own. That got Denver a small lead but the Rockets came back by running in transition. Jokic stayed strong while Watson had some solid minutes once again and the Nuggets lead built back up. Unfortunately, their offense stalled after that while Houston got out on the fast break. They chipped away at Denver’s lead and pulled within two points which left coach Adelman calling a timeout to regroup. It didn’t help much as the Nuggets went cold. That led to a 16-2 Rockets run and they had the lead as the quarter was winding down. Jabari Smith Jr. had some nice minutes which offset Jokic trying to will Denver to a victory, as the third came to a close the game stayed tight. The Nuggets had a strong close and were able to get the lead back. The third ended with them up 80-78.

The fourth didn’t start well for Denver. They got sloppy and the Rockets went on an 8-2 run with Smith Jr. still hitting shots. That got Houston back in front but the Nuggets kept them from puling away by getting everyone in the lineup involved. Eventually Denver was able to get the game tied on a Murray floater and it was clear the contest was headed towards a close finish. Cam Johnson got some big points for Denver while Sengun picked up his fourth and fifth fouls rapidly. The Nuggets got back in front after that but missed a few shots that could have provided some separation. Murray and Jokic were carrying them as they clung to a small lead heading down the stretch. Still, Denver couldn’t get that one big bucket to put any distance between them and Houston. After a big steal, the Nuggets were up two in the final minute and Murray made a strong drive and finish to give Denver a four-point lead. Watson had a huge block on Sengun and it looked like it was over. Houston, true to form, refused to give up and played the free throw game to get once last chance. Sengun put up a desperation shot at the buzzer to try to tie it, but he missed. Denver escapes Houston with a pivotal Cup win, 112-109.