Rockets defeat Nuggets, clinch sixth straight win

HOUSTON — Fred VanVleet scored 26 points and Alperen Sengun added 23 to lead the Houston Rockets to a 107-104 win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night, extending the Rockets’ winning streak to six games.

Nikola Jokic had a stellar performance with 36 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 assists for the Nuggets but couldn’t secure the win.

“We’re getting better,” VanVleet said. “We can feel the trend trending upward, we’re trying to get more things done that the coaches are asking us to do, and we’re executing at a higher and higher level each time out.”

Rockets veteran Jeff Green provided a crucial performance, scoring 15 points off the bench, including a 3-pointer that put Houston up 103-94.

Denver entered the fourth quarter with a two-point lead, but Houston managed to turn the game around and secure a well-deserved victory.

“It gives us another feather in our cap,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “It gives us experience with late-game execution and getting the shots we want and defending. I’m happy with how we finished. They did hit some tough shots, but that’s expected from a championship-caliber team.”

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Nuggets: Host the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the NBA In-Season Tournament play on Tuesday night.

Rockets: Open up a three-game California road trip with the Clippers on Friday night.

The game marked the Rockets’ second consecutive victory against the Nuggets, following a 10-game losing streak.