Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray Outlast Rockets in Overtime Thriller

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DENVER, CO — In a high-intensity battle between two of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets (18-6) rallied from an early deficit and a late-game collapse to defeat the Houston Rockets (15-7) 128-125 in overtime on Monday night at Ball Arena.

The victory, Denver’s fifth in a row, was secured by a classic performance from their MVP core and featured a dramatic finish that required an extra five minutes to decide.

Jokic’s Triple-Double Masterpiece

The catalyst for Denver was, once again, center Nikola Jokic, who delivered a Herculean performance against a tough Rockets frontcourt:

NBA-Leading Triple-Double: Jokic finished with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists—his NBA-leading 12th triple-double of the season.

Clutch Shooting: He was highly efficient, shooting $13$ -of- $27$ from the field, including a red-hot $5$ -of- $9$ from three-point range.

The Blue Arrow Strikes in Overtime

While Jokic piled up the stats, guard Jamal Murray was the finisher, especially in the clutch moments of regulation and overtime.

35-Point Performance: Murray added 35 points to the score sheet, dominating at the free-throw line by making $14$ -of- $15$ attempts.

Decisive OT Scoring: Murray scored six of the Nuggets’ 11 points in overtime, including a pair of critical free throws late in the extra period to stretch the lead to six points and hold off Houston’s final charge.

Regulation Madness

The game was a fierce, physical battle throughout, marked by 17 lead changes and 16 ties, with the final minutes of the fourth quarter becoming a frantic trading of blows:

Late Collapse: The Nuggets held a $109-104$ lead with under three minutes left in regulation, but the Rockets rallied, thanks to tough defense and clutch scoring.

Controversial Finish: After the teams traded scores, the final sequence came down to free throws. Jokic missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, but a late, controversial away-from-play foul called on Houston’s Amen Thompson sent Murray to the line, where his free throw tied the game at 117-117 and forced overtime.

Houston’s Fight Falls Short

The Rockets, who are still one of the top three teams in the West despite the loss, were led by a remarkable triple-double of their own:

Sengun’s Star Turn: Center Alperen Sengun posted his first triple-double of the season with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Durant’s Efficiency: Kevin Durant added a highly efficient 25 points, seven assists, and five blocks in the defeat.

In overtime, the Nuggets scored the first seven points and built a decisive $124-117$ lead. Despite a late push by Houston, Sengun missed a contested game-tying three-pointer with $4.9$ seconds remaining, allowing Denver to escape with their fifth consecutive victory and snap a four-game home losing streak.