Murray’s Performance Brings Nuggets 116-111 Victory Against Rockets

Summary:

• The Denver Nuggets defeated the Houston Rockets with a 116-111 result on Sunday.
• Canadian Jamal Murray shone with 39 points, helping his team put an end to the Rockets’ nine consecutive victories.
• Ime Udoka’s squad is still ranked second in the Western Conference, where the Nuggets stand in the second position.

Jamal Murray’s standout performance on Sunday night helped the Denver Nuggets end the night with a 116-111 victory over the Houston Rockets in the NBA.

The 28-year-old born in Kitchener, Canada, lost no time finding his rhythm, ending the night with 39 points after scoring 17 points in the first half and erupting for another 17 in the third quarter.

Jamal Murray‘s dominant stretch helped Denver take control, outscoring Houston 39-22 in the period and building a commanding 96-79 lead heading into the fourth.

Michael Porter Jr. contributed 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while DeAndre Jordan was a force on the boards with 15 rebounds to go along with 11 points.

Aaron Gordon added 13 points and dished out eight assists, and Russell Westbrook provided a spark off the bench with 14 points. The Nuggets shot an efficient 51% from the field and knocked down 10 of 21 three-point attempts.

The win put an end to Houston’s impressive winning streak consisting of nine victories in nine games while bringing Denver closer in the Western Conference standings.

Good Comeback Attempt

While falling behind no less than 17 points, the Rockets were still able to mount an impressive effort to come back.

Jalen Green was in the lead with 30 points, closely followed by Dillon Brooks, who chipped in 21.

Alperen Sengun recorded a triple-double with 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Steven Adams controlled the paint with 14 points and 12 boards.

However, Houston struggled from beyond the arc, making just 11 of 34 three-pointers, and converted only 22 of 34 free throw attempts.

The Rockets made things interesting in the final minutes. Down 109-100 with just over a minute to play, Houston went on a 7-1 run, cutting the deficit to three after Sengun’s layup with 21 seconds remaining.

However, Michael Malone’s side held its composure, and Christian Braun sealed the victory after calmly sinking two free throws to extend the lead to five.

Denver played its fourth consecutive game without Nikola Jokić, who remains sidelined with a left ankle injury. The Nuggets have now split those four games at 2-2.

Sunday’s defeat didn’t knock down Houston from its second standing in the Western Conference with just 10 games left in the regular season. The Nuggets are now just one game behind them, watching over from the third position.

Up next, Denver will look to keep its momentum going when it hosts the Chicago Bulls on Monday. Meanwhile, Ime Udoka’s team will aim to bounce back at home against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday with odds available on selected US sportsbooks.