Nikola Jokic recorded his 25th triple-double of the season as the Denver Nuggets routed the Houston Rockets 129-93 Wednesday at Ball Arena. “I think we played really good even in the first half. We were controlling the pace of the game and that’s something that we need to do,” Jokic said of Denver’s performance.
The Nuggets outscored Houston 40-22 in the third quarter, a stretch Jokic credited to both offense and defense. “In third quarter, I think we were really good offensively, defensive leveling was working well for us,” he explained.
Jokic detailed the defensive strategy used against Kevin Durant. “Just putting extra bodies… CB did a really good job and putting extra bodies and make him make a quick decision and try to cover up behind him,” he said.
Denver’s win secured the season series over Houston 3-1, giving the Nuggets a critical tiebreaker in the Western Conference standings. “As David [Adelman] said, this is the part of the year that you need to think about it and kind of care about that. So definitely it’s going to help us,” Jokic stated.
The center emphasized controlling the game through discipline and pace. “They didn’t shoot the ball well, that helped us, but I think we controlled a little on the defensive end what they were going to do,” he said, highlighting Denver’s strategic approach.
Jokic’s triple-double included 16 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds, marking the 187th of his career and the 15th this season before the fourth quarter. “We were really aggressive. We were really good,” he added on the team’s overall effort.
The Nuggets’ starting lineup, together for the first time since mid-November, played with renewed chemistry. Jokic’s comments reflected the focus on maintaining momentum as Denver chases a higher playoff seed.
Jamal Murray contributed 30 points, and Denver moved within half a game of Houston in the tight Western Conference race. Jokic stressed the importance of playing the right way over simply stacking wins. “We played really good in first half. Controlling pace… that’s something we need to do,” he reiterated.
Denver now heads to San Antonio on Thursday, looking to continue its recent success, while the Rockets will host New Orleans Friday.
