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The Denver Nuggets take on the Houston Rockets next at Toyota Center tonight. In their first meeting earlier this season, the Nuggets toppled the Rockets 124-111 to grab their first win of the 2020-21 NBA campaign.
The Denver Nuggets haven't been in the best of form in their last three games and have recorded just one win during that stretch. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets have been worse off and are heading into this contest on the back of a four-game losing streak.
Match Details
Fixture: Denver Nuggets vs. Houston Rockets | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Friday, April 16, 2021; 8:00 PM ET (Saturday, April 17th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX.
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Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets hit a minor slump recently, losing consecutive games for the first time since February 17th. They suffered a big blow with Jamal Murray being diagnosed with an ACL tear, which will keep him out for the rest of the season.
Despite their recent struggles and Murray's injury, the Nuggets did well to beat the Miami Heat 123-106 in their last outing. Michael Porter Jr. scored a team-high 25 points, while talisman Nikola Jokic notched up his 15th triple-double of the season to help the Nuggets bounce back to winning ways.
The Denver Nuggets put on an impressive performance offensively, shooting 3.9% from the field. They will be confident of taking care of business against the underwhelming Houston Rockets with ease when they visit the Toyota Center tonight.
Key Player - Michael Porter Jr.
With Jamal Murray out for the season, sophomore Michael Porter Jr. will now be more relied upon by the Denver Nuggets from here on. So far, he has been complimenting Nikola Jokic well on the frontcourt and has shared the scoring responsibilities brilliantly.
Porter is averaging 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per contest in his last five games. With that kind of form and momentum on his side, MPJ will be a key player for the Nuggets in this matchup.
Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Monte Morris l Shooting Guard - Will Barton l Small Forward - Michael Porter Jr. l Power Forward - Aaron Gordon l Center - Nikola Jokic.
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets have certainly played better post the All-Star break but haven't been able to produce wins as such. However, their young stars are developing well at the moment, which is something they are looking forward to as this campaign is evidently over for them.
In their last game, the Houston Rockets lost 124-136 against the Indiana Pacers. They got off to a disappointing start and trailed by 20 points at the half but did well to push the Pacers to the limit down the stretch, eventually losing by 12 points.
John Wall had a team-high 31 points, while Christian Wood and Kelly Olynyk scored 25-points apiece, but it wasn't enough to help their side win the tie. The Rockets shot just 29.4% from the three-point line, which played a key role in them losing this matchup.
Key Player - Christian Wood
Christian Wood's rise has been one of the rare bright spots for the struggling Houston Rockets this season. He was key to their terrific six-game winning run earlier in the season, but an injury that kept him out for a long time halted the Rockets' progress after James Harden's departure.
However, Wood is still very valuable to them and will be highly important to the Houston Rockets' chances of winning this tie. He will be up against MVP candidate Nikola Jokic in the game and will have to be at his best to limit him as much as possible.
If Wood is successful in doing so, it will definitely give the Houston Rockets a great boost in their bid to upset the Denver Nuggets.
Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - John Wall l Shooting Guard - Kevin Porter Jr. l Small Forward - Jae'Sean Tate l Power Forward - Kelly Olynyk l Center - Christian Wood.
Nuggets vs. Rockets Match Prediction
The Denver Nuggets will be the overwhelming favorites for this tie as they have a better squad and have been more successful this season. They also have momentum on their side with the win against the Miami Heat in the last game. However, the Houston Rockets have some exceptional players and if they are on song, they could edge out the Nuggets in this fixture.
Where to watch the Nuggets vs. Rockets game?
The game between the Denver Nuggets and the Houston Rockets will be televised locally on AT&T Sportsnet - Southwest and Altitude. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
