In a tumultuous night at Toyota Center, rookie Jalen Green scored the second-most points (29) of his NBA career in only 28 minutes, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Houston Rockets in a 124-111 home loss (box score) to Denver. Green hit 5-of-8 from 3-point range (62.5%) and made 12 of a career-high 14 attempts (85.7%) from the free-throw line.
The Nuggets (18-16) were led by 24 points (66.7% FG) and 11 rebounds from reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who only needed to play 25 minutes. The Rockets (10-27), who gave up 77 points in the first half and 47 in the second quarter alone, lost their seventh straight game and 11th of their last 13 in yet another dismal defensive effort.
Big man Christian Wood came off the bench for the first time in his Houston career and did not play at all after halftime, with head coach Stephen Silas citing a violation of team rules as the reason. Starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. “lost his temper during a heated halftime discussion and didn’t return to the court, leaving Toyota Center during the second half,” according to an ESPN report.
In postgame comments, Silas cited a “spirited debate” at halftime. The Rockets initially said Porter was questionable to play in the second half due to a left thigh injury, which has already cost him 15 games this season, but it remains to be seen how much was the injury and how much was due to the apparent extracurricular activity at halftime.
The Rockets have a day off Sunday before resuming play on Monday in Philadelphia, with tipoff set for 6:00 p.m. CST. Until then, scroll on for highlights and more postgame reaction from Saturday.
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