ROCKETS DEFEAT NUGGETS
Green and Sengun help the Rockets beat the short-handed Nuggets 128-108
Jan 15, 2025, 10:57 pm
Rockets win again! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Jalen Green scored 34 points, Alperen Sengun had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and the Houston Rockets beat the short-handed Denver Nuggets 128-108 on Wednesday night.
Green, who hit six 3-pointers, continued his recent scoring surge. He is averaging 32 points in Houston's last six games, including a career-best 42 points against Memphis on Monday.
Fred VanVleet added 16 points, eight assists and three steals for the Rockets, who beat Denver for the fifth time in six meetings.
The Nuggets were without two of their five leading scorers in reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic (right elbow inflammation) and Aaron Gordon (right calf injury).
Jamal Murray and Christian Braun each scored 22 point for Denver, which had 18 turnovers in the loss, including five apiece from its starting backcourt of Murray and Russell Westbrook.
Takeaways
Rockets: Houston won its fifth in a row and improved to 10-3 in its last 13 games to solidify its standing as the No. 2 team in the Western Conference.
Nuggets: Denver, which had won eight of its previous 10 games, absorbed its most lopsided defeat since a 145-118 loss to the New York Knicks on Nov. 25.
Key moment
Houston opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run that was capped off by a corner 3 by former Nugget Jeff Green that stretched the Rockets' lead to 11 points. Houston outscored Denver 41-25 in the period to take a 69-48 lead into halftime.
Key stat
The loss was Denver’s eighth in 20 home games this season, matching the Nuggets’ home loss total across 41 regular-season games in 2023-24.
Up next
Houston continues its three-game road swing Thursday at Sacramento. The Nuggets are back in action Friday at the Miami Heat.
Astros get just enough but lose a key contributor late
Jun 12, 2025, 11:22 pm
NFL analyst Albert Breer isn’t buying the quiet offseason surrounding the Houston Texans. In his view, the buzz — or lack of it — isn’t reflective of what this team actually is: a legitimate AFC contender that should be taken seriously in 2025.
Much of the skepticism, Breer believes, comes from surface-level narratives. The Texans went 10-7 in the regular season last year, a step back from the lofty expectations set after C.J. Stroud’s electric rookie year and Houston’s dramatic playoff push. And while the offense didn’t maintain its early-season explosion under Bobby Slowik, people seem to be overlooking how that same Texans team ended the year: as one of the last four teams standing in the AFC — alongside the Chiefs, Bills, and Ravens.
In Breer’s eyes, Houston belongs in that group. The defense is championship-caliber, with rising stars and playmakers at every level. And offensively, the switch to Nick Caley as offensive coordinator could be just what the unit needs. Caley brings a fresh voice and perspective, and paired with a fully settled-in Stroud, the Texans are well-positioned to take another leap forward.
One moment Breer points to as underrated: Houston’s Divisional Round game against Kansas City at Arrowhead. While most remember the Texans bowing out of the playoffs there, many forget they were trailing by just one point going into the fourth quarter — toe-to-toe with the defending Super Bowl champs in one of the toughest environments in football.
The Texans’ current win total is set at 9.5 by oddsmakers — a line Breer believes is too low. His expectation? Twelve wins and another deep playoff run. To him, the narrative that Houston is being “slept on” will disappear soon enough — likely around the time the Texans remind everyone why they’re still a problem in the AFC.
You can watch the video below for the full conversation.
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