Nikola Jokic records his 25th triple-double in crushing 36-point win over Rockets
Mar 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) defends on Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the first quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Denver Nuggets delivered an impressive team performance by crushing the Houston Rockets 129-93 on Wednesday night. This commanding victory allows Denver to move within half a game of Houston in the Western Conference standings, while winning the season series 3-1 and securing the tiebreaker advantage.
Nikola Jokic once again shined with his 25th triple-double of the season, completing his statistical performance in the third quarter with his 10th rebound at 4:14 remaining in the period. This marks the 15th time this season the Serbian center has secured a triple-double before the final quarter, bringing his career total to 187 triple-doubles.
Nikola Jokić zips a near-full-court DIME 🃏
He’s already got 5 assists in Q1! pic.twitter.com/QzgCh1jGC0
— NBA (@NBA) March 12, 2026
Nuggets’ collectively on fire against struggling Rockets
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets’ attack with 30 points, supported by a remarkable collective effort that generated 36 assists on 48 made field goals. Six Denver players finished with 12 or more points, illustrating the depth of the roster. Christian Braun and Cam Johnson also contributed, while Aaron Gordon focused on other aspects of the game without needing to score.
The turning point came in the third quarter, won 40-22 by the Nuggets. A symbolic sequence marked this period: after a block by Aaron Gordon on Alperen Sengun, Jokic raced in transition to find Johnson in the corner. Denver thus maximally punished the Rockets’ defensive mistakes, transforming a six-point halftime lead (53-47) into a comfortable 24-point advantage (93-69) before the final quarter.
For the Rockets, the evening turned into a nightmare, particularly from beyond the arc with a terrible 4/33 on three-pointers. Kevin Durant, usually prolific with 28 points per game over his last seven outings, was limited to just 11 points on 5/8 shooting – his second-lowest shot attempt total this season. The Nuggets’ defense, led by Christian Braun, perfectly executed their plan to neutralize the Rockets’ star.
This victory now places four teams at 40 wins each between 3rd and 6th place in the West: the Rockets (40-25), the Lakers (40-25), the Nuggets (40-26) and the Timberwolves (40-26). Denver however holds the tiebreaker advantage over the Rockets and Wolves, a valuable position in this tight playoff race.
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