Despite the Houston Rockets traveling to the high altitude of Denver, the balance of victory tilted in their favor as two key players from the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, were declared absent. The Rockets indeed took an early lead, especially in the second quarter when they unleashed a 41-25 scoring spree, quickly rendering the game's outcome predictable. They ultimately secured a 20-point victory.
Beyond winning the game, the Rockets experienced four pieces of good fortune. First, after easily defeating the Nuggets, the Rockets solidified their position as second in the Western Conference with this five-game winning streak. Considering their upcoming schedule and current form, barring any unforeseen circumstances or minor setbacks, it is highly probable that the Rockets will maintain a top-four spot in the West, or even hold onto their second-place position by the time the All-Star break arrives.
The Rockets also managed to secure an early finish, allowing their starters to conserve energy for the second game of a back-to-back. This is crucial as the Rockets have just embarked on a series of consecutive away games. After facing the Nuggets in Denver, the team hurriedly traveled to Sacramento to play against the Kings, who, after a slow start to the season, have transformed under new management. Although the Kings lost their previous game against the Bucks, they had previously achieved a seven-game winning streak and are still in excellent form. Following the game against the Kings, the Rockets will face another challenge on the road against the Trail Blazers, making this period particularly demanding for the team. Therefore, the opportunity to rest and rotate the starters early is of great importance to the Rockets.
The third piece of good news involves second-year wing player Cam Whitmore, who has seemingly fully regained his form. During the offseason, there were rumors of a rift between Whitmore and the coaching staff, which led to fluctuations in his performance and even a demotion to the G League at the beginning of the season. However, after communicating with the Rockets, both parties appear to have reconciled. In this game, Whitmore shot 7-for-11, scoring 16 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Over the past four games, aside from a less efficient performance against the Grizzlies, he has scored at least 16 points in the other three, becoming a primary offensive contributor off the bench for the Rockets.
Lastly, as a young team, the Rockets only committed eight turnovers in this game, a remarkable achievement. It is worth noting that their opponents, the Nuggets, had 18 turnovers, highlighting a significant difference. Looking back two years ago, the Rockets were the worst team in the league in terms of turnover control, often relying on individual play in their offense. The significant improvement seen now can be attributed not only to the maturation of the players and the management's operations but also to the significant contributions of the new coaching staff led by head coach Ime Udoka.