The Los Angeles Lakers will face a Dallas Mavericks team without Kristaps Porzingis on Friday night in Dallas.
Anthony Davis is on the upcoming trip for the Los Angeles Lakers despite a nasty fall but his status for Friday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks remains unclear. However, we do know that the Mavericks will be without their second-leading scorer in Friday night’s finale of the season series between the two squads.
Dallas Mavericks power forward Kristaps Porzingis, who missed last night’s big game against the Denver Nuggets, is out for Dallas’ weekend home back-to-back, according to Tim Cato of The Athletic. Porzingis is averaging 17.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while shooting 34 percent from the 3-point line on 6.4 attempts per game.
The Mavericks are still a fearsome opponent without Porzingis, especially with Luka Doncic in the line-up. But they are a 3-point happy team regardless of whether Porzingis is playing as they have plenty of other players who are threats from the 3-point line such as Seth Curry and Tim Hardaway Jr.
While it’s unclear whether Davis will play with a painful bruise, the Lakers did catch a bit of a break with the injury bug when it comes to their opponents on Friday. Friday’s game will also be televised nationally on ESPN at 9:45 p.m. EST.
Previewing Wednesday’s Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The Denver Nuggets (25-11) head to the Big D to play the Dallas Mavericks (23-13) at American Airlines Center Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Nuggets-Mavericks sports betting odds and lines, with betting picks and tips for this NBA matchup.
Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.
Nuggets at Mavericks: Key injuries
Nuggets
PF Paul Millsap (knee) probable
SG Will Barton (personal) out
C Bol Bol (foot) out
Mavericks
PF Kristaps Porzingis (knee) out
SG Ryan Broekhoff (knee) out
Nuggets at Mavericks: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Let’s back the NUGGETS (+125), who are finishing up a five-game road trip and should be motivated to even up the season series after losing their first meeting at home, 109-106. The Nuggets have held early-season MVP candidate, SF Luka Doncic, in check in their short history. Doncic has a 1-2 record against Denver, scoring 19.7 points per game on a .360 field-goal percentage and .217 rate from 3-point land. Also, they’ve been playing better recently (7-3 straight up in their last 10 games) compared to the Mavericks (5-5).
If we like the moneyline, we love the NUGGETS on the spread (+3.5, -115). Dallas has underperformed against the spread at home this season (7-11-1 ATS versus 11-5 on the road), while the Nuggets play slightly better ATS on the road (7-8-2 away versus 7-10-2 at home). It should be a little easier for Nuggets all-star big man, C Nikola Jokic, to get what he wants in the interior with Porzingis sidelined by injury.
A random tidbit here, but home favorites of 0-4.5 points are 4-7 ATS combined for games officiated by the referee crew assigned to this game: Matt Boland, Marc Davis and Courtney Kirkland.
The OVER 221.5 (+105) is the better play for various reasons. Dallas cashes the most Over tickets in the NBA (23-13 Over/Under record), the Nuggets score more points on the road than at home (107.1 PPG on the road versus 103.5 at home), Dallas is 12-7 O/U in home games and the Nuggets are 9-8 O/U in road games. Follow the trends.
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Previewing Monday’s Denver Nuggets at Atlanta Hawks sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The Denver Nuggets (24-11) visit the Atlanta Hawks (8-28) Monday at State Farm Arena for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off. We analyze the Nuggets-Hawks odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
The Nuggets lost as a 13-point favorite 128-114 at the Washington Wizards Saturday to fall to 1-2 on a current five-game road trip.
Meanwhile, the Hawks pulled off a stunner, winning at home vs. the Indiana Pacers 116-111 as 7.5-point underdog Saturday. Atlanta has now won two of its last three games, following a 10-game losing streak.
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Nuggets at Hawks: Key injuries
Nuggets
C Bol Bol (foot) out
Hawks
SG DeAndre’ Bembry (elbow and hip) probable
C John Collins (back) questionable
C Damian Jones (right adductor) probable
PF Jabari Parker (throat infection) questionable
SG Evan Turner (hamstring) questionable
SF Cam Reddish (wrist) questionable
Nuggets at Hawks: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:15 a.m. ET.
PASS. The Hawks (+290) have won two of their last three, so it’s possible they’ve found a groove, but I like Nuggets (-385) to win here. I’m just not going to bet the ML as I’m going to focus on the spread.
New to sports betting? A Hawks ML wager profits $2.40 on every $1 bet if they win. A Nuggets ML play requires every $3.13 wagered to profit $1 if they prevail.
The NUGGETS (-7.5, -129) is worth a small play. They had all day Sunday and most of Monday to think about Saturday’s embarrassing 14-point loss at the Wizards. Expect a focused Nuggets squad to take care of business, but it could be close. Denver is 9-7 straight up (SU) on the road, but 6-8-2 ATS in those games. Atlanta is 4-12 SU and 9-7 ATS at home.
Every $1.06 wagered on the Nuggets spread will profit $1 if they win by 8 points or more (Ex: A $10.60 bet profits $10, a $53 wager profits $50 and it will take a $106 bet to profit $100).
The OVER 220.5 (-106) is the STRONGEST PLAY. The Nuggets have hit five Overs in a row, averaging 115.8 points per game and allowing 119.8 PPG in those contests. The Hawks scare me a little here as they’ve only averaged 98.0 points in their last five games while giving up 106.2 points per contest. However, I see Denver opening up a big lead midway through and this turning into a track meet.
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Johnny’s record since Dec. 1: 26-14-1. Strongest plays: 14-4.
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Unexpected losses by the Denver Nuggets to Washington and the Los Angeles Clippers to Memphis moved the Rockets up to No. 2 in the West.
The Houston Rockets don’t play again until next Wednesday in Atlanta, but they certainly had some good fortune elsewhere on the first day of their rare four-day off stretch.
With Friday’s home win over Philadelphia, the Rockets improved to 24-11 — which, at the time, put them a half-game back of the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.
That prior status as the No. 4 seed changed with two upsets Saturday.
The Nuggets dropped to an identical 24-11 mark with an unlikely 128-114 loss in Washington, all against a Wizards squad missing All-Star guard Bradley Beal. The Wizards (11-24) were led by a season-high 32 points and eight assists off the bench by former Rockets point guard Ish Smith.
Meanwhile, the Clippers fell to 25-12 — percentage points behind the Rockets — courtesy of a stunning blowout loss at home, 140-114, to the Memphis Grizzlies (14-22).
The combination of those two losses moved the Rockets into a tie with the Nuggets for the current No. 2 spot in the West standings.
The Rockets hold the tiebreaker against the Clippers at the moment, having won two of the three head-to-head meetings so far this season. The Rockets and Nuggets, meanwhile, have split their two games.
Both Houston and Denver remain four games behind the Los Angeles Lakers, who currently have the West’s No. 1 seed at 28-7. The Rockets and Lakers have yet to play any of their three scheduled meetings this season, with the first slated for Saturday, Jan. 18 in Houston.
Those head-to-head games against the Lakers would be the best opportunity for the Rockets to quickly make up ground.
Between the upsets by the Nuggets and Clippers and an improbable come-from-behind victory in the NFL playoffs by the Houston Texans over the Buffalo Bills, it was a very productive Saturday for fans of the city — even with the Rockets not playing at all.
Previewing Saturday’s Denver Nuggets at Washington Wizards sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The Denver Nuggets (24-10) visit the Washington Wizards (10-24) Saturday at Capital One Arena for an 8 p.m. ET tip-off. We analyze the Nuggets-Wizards odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
The Nuggets are 1-1 on a current five-game road trip, most recently beating the Indiana Pacers 124-116 Thursday. Michael Porter Jr. scored a career-high 25 points in the win.
The Wizards lost to the Portland Trail Blazers 122-103 at home Friday to fall to 1-3 on a current 6-game homestand. PG Isaiah Thomas was ejected in the first 88 minutes for making contact with and forcing referee Marat Kogut to stumble.
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Nuggets at Wizards: Key injuries
Nuggets
C Bol Bol (foot) out
Wizards
SG Bradley Beal (leg) questionable
PF Davis Bertans (quad) out
C Thomas Bryant (foot) out
PF Rui Hachimura (groin) out
SF C.J. Miles (wrist) out
C Mortiz Wagner (ankle) out
PG John Wall (Achilles) out
Nuggets at Wizards: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 1:10 p.m. ET.
PASS. Denver (-770) is just too expensive. Every $7.70 wagered on the Nuggets only profits $1 if they win. At +525, the Wizards might be tempting, but forget it. Too many players are out.
The NUGGETS (-10.5, -125) are the STRONGEST PLAY. They’re 9-6 on the road for the season and 3-1 in their last four games. The undermanned Wizards, 5-10 SU and 6-8 ATS at home, just have too many injuries to compete. They only had nine players available Friday.
New to sports betting? Every $1.25 wagered on the Nuggets spread will profit $1 if they win by 11 points or more (Ex: A $12.50 bet profits $10, a $62.50 wager profits $50 and it will take a $125 bet to profit $100).
A slight lean to the OVER 222.5 (-106). The Wizards give up the most points in the league, allowing 121.1 points per game. Since Dec. 12, the Nuggets have been relying offense during a current 10-2 run, averaging 113.8 PPG – they’ve scored 119 points or more in three of the last four games.
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Johnny’s record since Dec. 1: 23-13-1. Strongest plays: 12-4.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
For a second straight season, the Denver Nuggets are in the mix at the top of the Western Conference. As of Friday morning, after their latest win over the Indiana Pacers, they’re second in the West, three games behind the Lakers.
That latest victory was thanks, in part, to Michael Porter Jr., who scored a career-high 25 points on 11-of-12 shooting off the bench.
That’s the second big game in his past three contests — he went 8-for-10 for 19 points against the Sacramento Kings last month — for the Missouri product who the Nuggets took 14th overall in the 2018 draft, a steal of a pick with other teams worried about the forward’s back injuries and surgeries.
Michael Porter Jr. with the smooth move. He is now up to a career-high 19 points. It’s simple, give MPJ minutes, and he produces.pic.twitter.com/RqhNQePHRf
He’s GOOD. Dude can go inside with his 6-foot-10 frame or shoot from the outside, the kind of stretch four NBA teams covet in 2020.
You have to assume the Nuggets are going to continue to continue to give him opportunities to shine, and that’s when it gets interesting with February fast approaching.
It seemed obvious that Denver would be in the mix at the trade deadline to acquire an upgrade — Kevin Love? Former Nugget Danilo Gallinari? Tristan Thompson? — to help them in the playoffs. I’d venture to say opposing general managers probably would have started with an asking price of Porter as the headlining prospect. Now? If you’re the Nuggets, you may have already made your acquisition … and if there was no way you were trading Porter before, now it’s out of the question.
Trade Machine Update: Michael Porter Jr. is banned from all fake Nuggets trades. He’s too good of an asset. What a fascinating in-season wrinkle for them. pic.twitter.com/hl43CUNTwz
When Porter plays significant minutes — a small sample size, but still — he scores. The defense will hopefully get there down the road. And although Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said it was “another glimpse into a very bright future,” you have to think the front office might not want to acquire the same kind of off-the-bench scorer to block Porter minutes (plus, a deal might dismantle what’s been a really sparkling rotation).
Obviously, this is all speculation. Maybe the Nuggets don’t want to thrust him into a bigger role too soon and feel that they need one more name to beat Bron and the Brow or Kawhi and PG in a very tight West.
At least they know that they have quite an asset that could both pay off now and in the future.
Previewing Thursday’s Denver Nuggets at Indiana Pacers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The Denver Nuggets (23-10) visit the Indiana Pacers (22-12) Thursday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off. We analyze the Nuggets-Pacers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
The Nuggets lost at the Houston Rockets 130-104 Tuesday, snapping a two-game win streak. This is the second game of a five-game road trip for Denver.
The Pacers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 115-97 at home Tuesday to snap a two-game skid.
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Nuggets at Pacers: Key injuries
Nuggets
C Bol Bol (foot) out
SG Gary Harris (shin) questionable
Pacers
PG Malcolm Brogdon (back) doubtful
SG Naz Mitrou-Long (ankle) out
SG Victor Oladipo (knee) out
PG Edmond Sumner (knee) doubtful
Nuggets at Pacers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 10:45 a.m. ET.
PASS. The Pacers are -121, while the Nuggets are even money at +100. Every $1.21 wagered on the Pacers ML will profit $1 if they win. Every $1 wagered on the Nuggets ML will profit $1 if they win. I’m going to avoid a play here and focus on the spread since the line is so small.
The PACERS (-2.5, +105) are the play. They’re 15-3 at home and on a season-best six-game home winning streak. Plus, they’re 11-6-1 ATS at home. The Nuggets (+2.5, -125) are 8-6 straight up and 5-7-2 ATS on the road.
New to sports betting? A winning Pacers bet requires them to win by 3 or more points, and every $1 wagered on their spread will profit $1.05 if they do cover (Ex: A $101 winning bet profit $10.50, $50 profits $52.50 and $100 profits $105).
The UNDER 209.5 (-115) is the STRONGEST PLAY. Denver, which allows the second-fewest points per game in the league at 103.9 PPG, will be focused on the defensive side of things as it gave up a season-high 130 points in Tuesday’s loss at Houston. Indiana’s defense ranks fifth, allowing just 105.4 PPG.
Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Johnny’s record since Dec. 1: 23-11-1. Strongest plays: 12-3.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives our Top 10 candidates for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. Which stars have stood out thus far?
Each week, HoopsHype’s staff gives the Top 10 candidates for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. This list highlights stars who are in the mix for the 2019-20 MVP award due to their impressive play.
Which stars have stood out? Here are our latest MVP rankings:
The past week-plus has been the perfect encapsulation of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 2019-20 season. The team was able to start off that stretch with a massive win on Christmas against the Milwaukee Bucks, on a night where Joel Embiid dropped 31 points and 11 rebounds against one of the league’s title favorites, but followed that up by losing their next three games, two on the road by one point apiece, and then a blowout at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in a game Embiid was forced to sit due to injury. Prior to going down, Embiid was averaging 30 points and 11 boards over a three-game stretch, so Philadelphia has to hope their star center doesn’t miss much time with what’s being described as left knee soreness.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
9. NIKOLA JOKIC, DENVER
STATS: 18.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 50.1 FG%
There’s no question Nikola Jokic got off to a frighteningly slow start to his 2019-20 campaign, but recently, the stud Serbian center has started to resemble his old self again, which is great news for the Denver Nuggets and bad news for teams in the Western Conference below the two-L.A.-team tier. Over the past three weeks (a 14-game span), Jokic has averaged 22.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game on fiery shooting splits of 55.9/41.4/84.6.
Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard has been performing at an elite level this season, and yet, his team can’t seem to garner even the slightest amount of momentum in 2019-20. Portland – losers of five straight, including an embarrassing 117-93 loss to the New York Knicks – are 14-21 on the season and have the league’s 12th-worst net rating at -2.0, which puts them behind the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls this year. What has to be especially frustrating for Lillard is the fact that with him on the floor, the Blazers are 11.6 points per 100 possessions better than when he’s on the bench, meaning the team gets absolutely destroyed in the minutes they’re without their All-NBA-caliber floor general. Luckily for Lillard and Co., however, the bottom of the Western Conference playoff race is a mess right now, so they’re still merely 1.5 games out of the eighth seed. They can thank Lillard for that.
Even though he’s shooting at pretty horrific rates, primarily from three where he’s sinking just 27.6 percent of his looks, Jimmy Butler still ranks 10th in VORP this season, as well as 10th in BPM, ninth in WS/48 and 12th in PER, proving what an immense impact he’s having for the Miami Heat. It’s scary to think about what would happen to those marks if Butler is able to relocate his formerly semi-respectable outside stroke, too. Regardless, Butler is a lock to regain All-Star status this season after he missed the festivities last year, as his Heat boast an impressive (and unexpected) 24-9 record through 33 contests.
As far as statement games go, no one on this list had a more important one over the past week than Kawhi Leonard on Christmas. Facing off with the Los Angeles Lakers and their two own MVP candidates, Leonard was spectacular, dropping 35 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five triples while shooting 11-for-19 from the floor. Leonard’s Los Angeles Clippers came out on top against the Lakers for the second time this season that night by a final score of 111-106, raising questions about what a series would look like between these two super talented teams. One thing is for sure, though: Leonard has been playing at a scary level over the past month and a half.
Since sustaining the groin injury in mid-December, LeBron James’ shooting marks have plummeted, as the four-time league MVP is shooting 39.8 percent from the floor and 24.2 percent from three in those five contests. Regardless, James is still playing insanely well on the year as a whole, especially when you consider the fact that he just turned 35. James leads the league in nightly assists this year, and as he’s taken a bit of a backseat to his new super teammate, he’s posting a career-best 51.2 percent assist rate. Leave it to LeBron to set career marks in his 17th season.
That aforementioned super teammate of LeBron’s we referenced, of course, is Anthony Davis, who, for the first time in his career, gets to play for a legit title contender. And with the way Davis is playing on a team expected to compete for a championship, it’s a shame we haven’t gotten to see this version of the superstar power forward sooner. Davis is shooting more than eight free throws nightly and sinking them at an 85.3 percent rate, which is insane for a big man, and just part of what makes him such an efficient/special scorer. Couple that with his otherworldly defense and it’s easy to see why many thought Davis could one day become a perennial MVP candidate. That day seems to have arrived.
In the four games he’s played since returning from an ugly ankle injury, Luka Doncic is putting up 27.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game, so it looks like the Dallas Mavericks didn’t rush their burgeoning superstar back too quickly. On the year, the 20-year-old ranks third league-wide in scoring, 22nd in rebounds and third in assists, an absolutely absurd feat for someone in just their sophomore campaign. It hasn’t taken long for Doncic to become one of the most entertaining players in the league, thanks to his audacious step-back jumpers and wonderful playmaking prowess.
As the decade came to a close this week, it was fun to look back at some of the absurd numbers James Harden put up in the 2010s. Two immediately stand out: The Beard ranks second in wins over the last 10 years, trailing just LeBron, with 502, and he leads the entire league in points scored over the decade with 19,578. People may complain about his style of play, but there’s no doubt Harden is one of the most special talents the NBA has ever seen. Also noteworthy: Harden is shooting 45.3 percent from three over the past 13 games and shooting just 8.4 free throws nightly in that stretch, so it looks like his game continues to evolve, which is downright scary for opponents.
The no-brainer MVP favorite at this point in the season is still Giannis Antetokounmpo. Harden’s individual numbers (at least scoring-wise) might be more impressive, but Antetokounmpo is also one of the most impactful defenders in the league while averaging over 30 points per game – a ridiculous combination for a single player to possess. Antetokounmpo is even becoming a respectable outside threat, hitting over a third (33.1 percent) of his outside looks on the year. But by far the most impressive aspect of the Greek Freak’s campaign so far is the level at which he has the Milwaukee Bucks performing, who are 31-5 and have by far the league’s best net rating at +12.5. The next highest team in that stat, the Boston Celtics, are at +7.8, which goes to show Milwaukee’s level of dominance on the year.
You can follow Frank Urbina on Twitter: @FrankUrbina_.
Isaiah Hartenstein had 16 points and 12 rebounds in just 18 minutes Tuesday, and Mike D’Antoni said postgame that he earned a promotion.
One week ago, 21-year-old Isaiah Hartenstein wasn’t a part of the Houston Rockets rotation and had been seen much more frequently with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers — Houston’s G League affiliate.
But the recent heel injury prompting a two-game absence from starting center Clint Capela gave the young seven-footer an opportunity, and he continues to take full advantage.
In the two games Capela missed, Hartenstein averaged 14 points on 72.2% shooting and 11 rebounds in 29.3 minutes per game.
With Capela back in Tuesday’s home win versus Denver, Hartenstein’s minutes were understandably more limited. But even in just 18 minutes, Hartenstein still made major contributions with 16 points (75% shooting), 12 rebounds, and a team-leading plus/minus figure of +21.
The win moved the Rockets (23-11) to within a half-game of the Nuggets (23-10) for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.
After the game, head coach Mike D’Antoni confirmed what was becoming obvious: Hartenstein has earned the regular backup center role behind Capela. Previously, that role had been filled by some combination of either 37-year-old veteran Tyson Chandler or smaller lineups with a forward such as P.J. Tucker or Gary Clark in the middle.
Coach D’Antoni says postgame that Isaiah Hartenstein will be the back-up 5 moving forward. He says Hartenstein is smart, brings a great energy and can do things offensively that can’t be taught.
Hartenstein, however, offers much more size and athleticism in the paint. And that was on full display against the Nuggets, led by star big man Nikola Jokic. Between Capela and Hartenstein, the two Houston centers outrebounded Jokic by a commanding 22-8 margin.
Mike D’Antoni with some major praise for Isaiah Hartenstein:
“Offensively, he does things nobody can teach. He’s quick in getting picks for James, he’s quick off the ball, relentless on the boards. Just his energy alone makes him valuable.” pic.twitter.com/DURKh2REUD
Speaking postgame, Hartenstein — who usually plays in Houston’s second unit alongside Russell Westbrook — said he had watched film of Oklahoma City center Steven Adams to try and decipher how to best fit in alongside the former Thunder MVP.
Isaiah Hartenstein: "I love playing with Russ. He finds me everytime. I try to get him as open as possible, too; so, me playing with him helps a lot. I've watched a lot of Steve(n) Adams and him play on video; so, that helped a lot, too." pic.twitter.com/4N93vZZSf8
The competition will remain steep for Hartenstein, with the Philadelphia 76ers (23-13) and Joel Embiid coming to town Friday. But with Capela healthy and Hartenstein surging, the Rockets may have more size and athleticism than anticipated to counter the Sixers’ All-Star big man.
[lawrence-related id=20908]
Mike D'Antoni said Isaiah Hartenstein had a "great game". He said "for sure" he expects him to hold down the backup center spot. He loves what he does on the offensive end, setting picks, rebounding. The test is his defense and he's liked what he's done there the past 3 games.
Led by 63 points and 13 assists from James Harden and Russell Westbrook, the host Rockets (23-11) crushed Denver (23-10) on New Year’s Eve.
James Harden and Russell Westbrook combined for 63 points and 13 assists as the Rockets (23-11) crushed the visiting Denver Nuggets (23-10) on New Year’s Eve in Houston, 130-104 (box score).
The win brings the Rockets to within a half-game of Denver for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. The Nuggets cut Houston’s 17-point halftime lead to just three points after the third quarter, but the Rockets put them away with a dominant 38-15 closing period.
Both Harden and Westbrook shot 50% or better from the field, headlined by Harden’s 6-of-9 showing (66.7%) from 3-point range. Harden had 35 points, while Westbrook poured in 28 on 11-of-22 shooting.
Harden and Westbrook combine for 63pts in the big win!
Vote James and Russ into the 2020 #NBAAllStar Game.
Counting Tuesday’s totals, Harden finished the 2010s decade as the NBA’s leading scorer with 19,578 total points. Next on the list were LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Westbrook.
Overall, the Rockets shot 52.9% from the field and 16-of-34 (47.1%) on 3-pointers as Houston closed out 2019 in style.
In addition to the exploits of Harden and Westbrook, reserve guard Eric Gordon maintained his hot shooting since returning from injury by making three of five 3-point attempts (60%).
FINAL: Rockets 130, Nuggets 104. A near-perfect game from the Rockets. Harden (35p) incredibly efficient. Westbrook (28p) attacking. Rockets on fire from three (16-34). Houston now 23-11. Happy New Year, everybody!
On the front line, Clint Capela returned from his own multi-game injury absence (heel) with 16 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. Meanwhile young seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein continued his recent surge with 16 points and 12 rebounds in just 18 minutes off the bench.
Mike D'Antoni said Isaiah Hartenstein had a "great game". He said "for sure" he expects him to hold down the backup center spot. He loves what he does on the offensive end, setting picks, rebounding. The test is his defense and he's liked what he's done there the past 3 games.
After the game, head coach Mike D’Antoni confirmed that Hartenstein — who led the Rockets with a plus/minus figure of +21 in just 18 minutes — had effectively replaced veteran Tyson Chandler as the backup center behind Capela moving forward.
Coach D’Antoni says postgame that Isaiah Hartenstein will be the back-up 5 moving forward. He says Hartenstein is smart, brings a great energy and can do things offensively that can’t be taught.
Mike D’Antoni with some major praise for Isaiah Hartenstein:
“Offensively, he does things nobody can teach. He’s quick in getting picks for James, he’s quick off the ball, relentless on the boards. Just his energy alone makes him valuable.” pic.twitter.com/DURKh2REUD
The Nuggets were led by star big man Nikola Jokic with 21 points and eight rebounds, but both Capela and Hartenstein had more rebounds.
The Rockets return to action Friday night with a home game against the Philadelphia 76ers. With the Sixers (23-13) led by All-Star center Joel Embiid, it would seem to benefit the Rockets that both Capela and Hartenstein enter that matchup playing well.
