Houston Rockets Dull Denver Nuggets 118-108

What a historical, ground-breaking, memorable night for the Houston Rockets!

I’d normally look at this match up as an easy “W” without giving much thought to it.

But this game meant so much more.

The Nuggets are not a good team right now but will be; in contrast, we’re on the cusp of doing great things.

We saw heavy doses of that last night as it was a game that the team dominated for most of the way and fans in attendance were treated to a halftime ceremony commemorating 20 years since the back-to-back championships.

I personally was in attendance for last night’s game it was as magical of a night as one could see.

At the start of the ceremony, the house lights dimmed as radiant glimmers of light shone on the two championship trophies. One could hear a pin drop as fans stared quietly in awe of what was about to transpire.

All of my childhood legends were on-deck as they were announced one-by-one by the talented/former in-game announcer Matt Thomas, whose voice still booms as loud and proud as it did back in the mid 1990s.

Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Vernon Maxwell, Otis Thorpe, Mario Elie, Robert Horry, Matt Bullard, Pete Chilcutt, Tim Breaux, Tracy Murray, Eric Riley, Chris Jent, Charles Jones and Rudy Tomjanovich — it doesn’t get better than that!

The Rockets did an excellent job of turning back the clock and it was honor to be in attendance of such a regal event.

I thought nothing could come close to topping that but we saw our own James Harden score 50 points in a game last night — the first Houston Rocket since the Dream did in 1996 and it was also a career-high for the Beard!

Any way, at the start of the game, the Rockets came out guns-a-blazing and used a 5-0 run late in the 1st to go up by eight points after a James Harden three-pointer with 3:32 left. Rockets 30, Nuggets 22

But at the 3:26 mark, Terrence Jones who had 10 quick points, was unintentionally kneed in the ribs by Kenneth Faried while on the floor going for the ball.

This caused Jones to collapse to the floor briefly in pain but he had enough strength to walk over the bench and head to the locker room as Donatas Motiejunas checked-in for him.

He was diagnosed with a rib injury and had to be taken away via ambulance because of the seriousness of the injury.

This is terrible news for the Rockets but I just continue to hope that he’ll be okay health-wise which is paramount.

The Rockets continued to charge ahead and lead the Nuggets 33-27 at the end of the 1st.

The 2nd quarter was one of dominance as they started to pull away and lead the Nuggets by 16 points at the half after a Josh Smith three-pointer with 10 seconds left. Halftime Score: Rockets 65, Nuggets 49

The Beard already had 22 points!

The 3rd quarter was more of an exhibition show for the Rockets as they continued to maintain their lead finishing the quarter up over the Nuggets 90-73.

The Beard had 38 points after three quarters!

For the 4th quarter, the Nuggets did pull within eight points after Jameer Nelson hit one out of three free throws after a Joey Dorsey foul behind the three-point line. Rockets 92, Nuggets 84

But the team turned up the heat and took pushed their lead back to double-digits as the team scoring went past the triple-digit mark.

More from House of Houston

With 1:03 left, by then, the Beard scored his 46th and 47th point respectively at the free throw line off a Danilo Gallinari foul putting the Rockets up 112-99.

It was also his 22nd free throw made of the night as well!

After Wilson Chandler sunk a three on the next possession, the Rockets got the ball back, Trevor Ariza dished the ball to Harden — who was waiting out on the right wing — as he added another chapter to Rockets’ history with a uncontested corner-three that will be remembered for years to come.

That was his 50th point and was like the cherry on top of a delectable ice cream sundae as far as the kind of night this was for me to witness. Final Score: Rockets 118, Nuggets 108

The Beard, of course, led all scorers with 50 points, 10 rebounds including shooting a whopping 22-of-25 from the free throw line!

Ariza added 17/6 and J-Smoove added 12 points and three blocks in 21 minutes off the bench. Corey Brewer and D-Mo had 10 and 9 rebounds respectively.

Wilson Chandler and Randy Foye each led the Nuggets in scoring with 23 points a piece and Faried had 12 rebounds while Ty Lawson had 10 assists.

What a night that was well worth the price of admission!