0 wins, 0 losses!Rocket Jokic convinces Jokic
In this game, the Rockets have not won a single game, while in Denver also lost nil. In the face of a strong Nuggets, the Rockets showed no mercy at all, and Shin Jing also made Jokic deflated on offense. After beating the Nuggets, the Rockets also picked up their first road win. The Houston Rockets defeated the Denver Nuggets 114-106 on December 9, 2023. Shin Kyung had 17 rebounds and seven assists, while Jokic had 23, 16 rebounds and five assists.
Although not at the same level as the Nuggets, they were not at a disadvantage against the Nuggets before this season, and Shin Kyung was also called "Jokic Jr." in the game against Jokic, showing his potential beyond the three-point line. After the game started, all three of the Rockets' shots were shot into the basket, so the Nuggets' strategy was obvious, which was to let Jokic go and fight Shen Jing to the death. Jokic was the first to enter the penalty area with the ball and launched a decisive attack, although he did not score, but also made Shen Jing suffer a big loss. Shin Kyung, of course, was not willing to be "provoked" by Jokic, he scored with Jokic and made a free throw, and the Rockets ended the game with a 13-0 offensive run. After Jokic's injury, the Nuggets' offense stalled, while the Rockets were more solid, stretching the score to five points in the first quarter.
Shin Kyung once again led the team's offense, and even when the Nuggets were playing targeted defense, Shin Kyung's passing still brought the team continued efficiency. By the end of the first half, the Rockets had four players score more than two points and kept the score at around five. The Nuggets desperately wanted to score, but in the face of the Rockets' efficiency, they didn't have any power to fight back, and Jokic was out of breath by the end of the game. Not only are they very effective offensively, but they also protect rebounds very well, and they can also create a lot of counter-attacks in the game. Compared to the Rockets, the Nuggets clearly don't have a lot of options.
Jokic's previous performance was not good, and this time against Houston, Jokic's performance was even worse, except for the three-point shot at the beginning, Jokic did not bring any harm to the team. Jokic scored just three points in the half, making just one out of 10 attempts. While he scored nine points alone in the third quarter, the entire Nuggets' offense was weakened without him. Conversely, the Rockets have nine players scoring and four have scored more than 15 points. Due to the team's all-out outburst, in the third quarter, the Rockets left the Nuggets behind by an 18-point advantage.
In the fourth quarter of the game, Jokic sat on the bench, but the Rockets did not let their guard down, they continued to attack, and soon extended the gap to 22 points. After that, the Nuggets tied the score with an 18-0 offensive run. But fortunately, the rocket still held up. In the end, the Rockets won against the Nuggets. Whether they make the playoffs this season or not, they are not the same as before, and this kind of morale is the foundation of their rebuilding team.