Nuggets beat Rockets 114-108
Will Barton scored 23 points, and the Denver Nuggets went on a 24-6 run in the third quarter to beat the Houston Rockets 114-108.
The Rockets led 74-64 with 6:28 left in the third quarter. Jameer Nelson’s pull-up 3-pointer put the Nuggets ahead for good with 2:06 left in the quarter. He and Gary Harris scored 7 points each during the run, and they led 88-80 with 45 seconds left in the quarter and by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter.
The Rockets got within 110-108 on James Harden’s driving layup with 51 seconds to play, but Barton answered with 2 free throws, and the Rockets got no closer.
Barton’s 2 free throws with 13.5 seconds left made it 112-108 and put it away.
During clutch time, the Nuggets outscored the Rockets 4-2.
Harris scored 21 points on 8 for 11 shooting.
For the Rockets, Harden had 24 points, 6 assists and 3 steals.
The Rockets got 5 offensive rebounds, about 6 fewer than usual for the shots they missed. They outscored the Nuggets 31-13 off turnovers. The Nuggets did not make a field goal in the last 3:37. The Nuggets outscored the Rockets 38-16 in 9 minutes with Nelson, Gallinari, Barton, Harris and Jokić on the floor together.