There were rim-rattling jams, and there was a torrential downpour of 3-pointers.
But rather than coming from a Houston side that has tormented Denver the last few years, it was the Nuggets who flipped the script.
Behind newly-crowned All-Star Nikola Jokic and career-high nights from and , the Nuggets snapped their nine-game losing streak to the Rockets with a decisive 136-122 win.
“Malik Beasley was phenomenal tonight,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “That guy is continuing to grow up in front of all of our eyes, Monte Morris (17 points) ceases to amaze, and Nikola, surprise, surprise, almost had another triple-double. I think the fact that we were able to beat this team hopefully gives us some confidence when we play them again that ‘Yes, we can beat this team.'”
Jokic, named to his first All-Star team on Thursday night, had 31 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists as the Nuggets improved to 36-15 overall and 23-4 at the . That homecourt advantage will become increasingly more valuable as the Nuggets inch toward the postseason.
“We’ve beaten every team in the NBA,” Malone said. “We’ve beaten all comers. We’re not scared of anybody.”
Friday’s offensive fireworks were the results of monumental performances from Beasley and Craig, two players who have far surpassed expectations so far this season. Beasley has been a revelation, averaging over 15 points and shooting 52 percent from 3-point range as a starter. He scored 35 points on 12 of 17 shooting Friday night.
And Craig’s defense has been invaluable, but itap been his second-chance hustle and his improved 3-point shooting thatap made him even more of an asset as the Nuggets navigate their injury-plagued season. Craig scored 22 on 8 for 11 shooting.
The two more than filled in with Denver’s starting backcourt of (ankle) and (abductor strain) out due to injury.
The Nuggets shot lights out as a team, including 14 for 31 from 3-point range. They also dominated in transition, outscoring the Rockets 24-8 in that regard.
Malone revealed his defensive game plan against reigning MVP James Harden, but planning for him and executing against him are two vastly different things. Harden hit a last-minute 3-pointer to extend his incredible 30-plus points streak to 25.
“You can’t give James one look for 48 minutes. He is a great player, he is an MVP for a reason, so we have to give him different looks, whether you blitz him at times, you play him straight up, you hit him in the backcourt get the ball out of his hands. … Sometimes when you get the ball out of a great player’s hands, you have to live with the consequences.”
Former Nuggets forward returned to the Pepsi Center Friday night after he was jettisoned from Denver in an offseason trade with Brooklyn. He was bought out by the Nets in January before joining the Rockets and immediately made an impact in their frontcourt. Motivated from his departure, Faried dropped 23 points but was on the receiving end of a ruthless block by Nuggets veteran .
As part of Harden’s ridiculous streak, he averaged an eye-popping 43.6 points on more than 16 3-point attempts per game in January. The Nuggets had good reason to both fear and strategize for everything Harden brings to the table.
“You can’t defend it, you can’t defend it,” Nuggets wing said. “You can’t defend a star player who can basically do whatever he wants. And thatap talent. I mean he’s playing how I play in the Summer Leagues, where I can just shoot any shot I want from anywhere, nobody’s going to say nothing to me, and when you add that with how good he is, you can’t stop that.”
Technically, Friday was just another game on the regular-season docket. But games against potential playoff opponents, particularly ones the Nuggets have struggled against, always mean more than players let on.
The first half was a masterclass in execution for the Nuggets. Harden was nearly indefensible and scored 18 points, but Denver chased down loose balls, hustled for rebounds and finished off plenty of transition opportunities as it built a resounding 83-71 lead.
Beasley earned the start and was devastating in transition and from the 3-point arc. He sunk both of his 3-point attempts in the game-altering second quarter as part of a 22-point first-half outburst. The Nuggets shot 80 percent in the 48-point quarter, converting five Houston turnovers into 10 points.
As momentum-swinging as some of Beasley’s dunks were, Craig provided the highlight of the game and maybe the year. He tore away from the corner and slammed a left-handed put-back dunk that lit a fuse beneath the Pepsi Center crowd.
