DENVER (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins, beginning rather than ailing Nikola Jokic, scored a season-high 31 factors and the Denver Nuggets bounced again from a loss to beat the struggling Houston Rockets 116-101 on Friday night time.
Jokic, the reigning MVP, was held out due to a non-COVID-19 sickness.
Cousins, a midseason acquisition by the Nuggets following his launch by Milwaukee, discovered he was beginning for Jokic through the pre-game shootaround.
“I used to be making an attempt to take the perfect pictures, making an attempt to make the appropriate play each possession,” Cousins stated. “I play the sport the appropriate manner. It was very satisfying and it’s even higher when you’ve gotten a coach that believes in you, a corporation that believes in you and teammates which have your again. That’s all I’ve been trying to find on this journey. I’ve discovered that proper now and like I stated earlier, I’m going to depart the whole lot on the ground.”
JaMychal Inexperienced and Jeff Inexperienced every added 14 factors apiece as Denver shook off a loss to Oklahoma Metropolis on Wednesday night time for its seventh win in eight video games.
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Will Barton had 11 factors, hitting two 3-pointers to move JR Smith because the Nuggets’ profession chief with 769.
Christian Wooden had 22 factors for Houston, and Jalen Inexperienced added 18. The Rockets have misplaced 12 straight.
Barton hit two 3-pointers a minute aside late within the third quarter to interrupt the mark. The Nuggets known as a timeout throughout their ensuing possession and Barton’s milestone was flashed on the scoreboard, bringing the gang to its ft with a roaring ovation that Barton acknowledged with an appreciative wave of his arms.
“It was a surreal second,” Barton stated. “It’s one thing you dream of as a child, to in the future make historical past on the greatest stage.”
Cousins added a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws round a jumper by Garrison Mathews within the remaining 1:16 of the third interval and Denver took a 17-point lead into the ultimate quarter. “That they had the lead the entire recreation,” stated the Rockets’ Eric Gordon. “This can be a recreation the place you’ve bought to come back in right here and take it from them. You’ve bought to disrupt their rhythm someway. In fact we’re within the recreation nevertheless it’s a unique sort of vitality and energy to actually attempt to win the sport and we simply didn’t have that tonight.”
Cousins’ dunk, one in all a number of that he had within the recreation, put the Nuggets up 103-89 with 4:43 left and Denver maintained a double-digit lead the remainder of the way in which. Cousins was taken out of the sport with slightly below two minutes remaining and bought a hug from coach Michael Malone and an ovation from the gang.
Rockets: G Dennis Schroder missed a second consecutive recreation with a sprained proper ankle. … Former Nuggets star Kenyon Martin was readily available within the stands to look at his son, Kenyon Martin Jr., play for the Rockets. … Houston has solely seven wins in 34 street video games.
Nuggets: G Austin Rivers additionally was dominated out of the sport due to a non-COVID-19 sickness. … F Zeke Nnaji stays sidelined resulting from bilateral knee soreness. … Cousins’ earlier season excessive was 22 factors towards Dallas on Dec. 23 whereas with Milwaukee. … Denver swept its season sequence with the Rockets 3-0.
Rockets: Host Memphis on Sunday night time.
Nuggets: Host New Orleans on Sunday night time.
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