Nuggets center Joffrey Lauvergne contests a shot by Houston star James Harden in Wednesday’s game. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
HOUSTON — Three takeaways the morning after the Nuggets’ 105-85 win over the Rockets, snapping a four-game losing streak to Houston, on Wednesday.
Multiple-effort Faried. So you say the defensive star of the game was Gary Harris? Okay. You win. But just as good, though not recognized, was Kenneth Faried. He erased the Rockets’ first shot of the game, a Clint Capela layup attempt. Two minutes later, he erased another Capela attempt at the rim. When Patrick Beverley was able to get around Jameer Nelson on a drive to the basket late in the third, Faried slid over to get a piece of that layup as well.
No player exemplified team defense in the preseason more than Faried did, and he served notice that the multiple-effort, covering-for-your-teammate persona he carved out then is still in place now. The Nuggets’ two most effective five-man defensive lineups both had Faried in them. And the team’s defensive rating of 78.6 when he was on the court was behind only Harris (69.4) and Joffrey Lauvergne (76.2).
Uncontested shots. Offense was the unsung hero of the night. Lost in the fray was the fact the Nuggets shot 50.6 percent from the field — and it was not by mistake. Their offense generated open shots all night long. How open? According to NBA shot tracking data, the Nuggets took 41 shots with no one near them, with defenders four feet or more away from the shooter. They made 48 percent of those looks. Twenty-two of those shots were from 3-point range, and they made 11 of those.
Conversely, the Nuggets took just five shots in which a defender was two feet or closer. Five. Credit ball movement, a wear-down effect of running the weary-legged Rockets off of a ton of pick-and-rolls, and multiple drive-and-kick possessions, forcing the Rockets to guard and scramble deep into the shot clock.
Gallo doing it all. Danilo Gallinari knew he had to raise his level of play this season, and he got started with a bang in all areas. He scored 23 points with eight rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal. His nine points in the third quarter helped keep the Nuggets in control of the game when the Rockets made a move to climb back in it.
Gallo shrugged off his night.
“It was a positive night because we won,” Gallinari said. “I did my part, but everybody brought what they were capable of.”
Follow Chris Dempsey on Twitter @dempseypost or email him at cdempsey@denverpost.com
