{"id":169733,"date":"2025-12-14T15:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T20:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=169733"},"modified":"2025-12-14T14:03:41","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T19:03:41","slug":"rockets-nuggets-battle-for-the-2-seed-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/12\/14\/rockets-nuggets-battle-for-the-2-seed-part-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Rockets-Nuggets Battle For The 2 Seed, Part II"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday night, the Houston Rockets will face the Denver Nuggets to determine the Western Conference two-seed<\/a> for the second time this season. Both teams are having terrific starts to the year, even amid various setbacks. The Rockets are 16-6, while the Nuggets are 18-6. With three-quarters of the season to go, will either team be able to separate? If not to challenge the flabbergasting Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> for the one-seed, then at least to avoid facing them until the Conference Finals? And will there be any glimpse of that separation visible on Monday night?<\/p>\n

Rockets-Nuggets Battle For The 2 Seed, Part II<\/h2>\n

The Nuggets won the last Rockets-Nuggets clash<\/a> 112-109. They did that despite losing versatile defensive forward and 50-bomb innovator<\/a> Aaron Gordon<\/a> after less than three and a half minutes of play. Gordon has been absent from the Nuggets lineup with a hamstring injury ever since. He isn’t expected to return until after Christmas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Bigs<\/h3>\n

The good news for the Nuggets is that, not even counting the Rockets game, they are 8-3 this season with Gordon out. Their offseason additions put the best depth around and behind Serbian superstar Nikola Jokic<\/a> since he won the Finals MVP. As strictly Jokic’s backup, Jonas Valanciunas<\/a> is averaging 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in only 12.8 minutes per game. It’s the second-best per 36 minutes<\/a> scoring of his career. It’s a tough gig to back up a player averaging 29.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 10.9 assists per game on 72.7% true shooting, as Jokic is. Valanciunas makes the drop-off about as manageable as you could hope for.<\/p>\n

But Houston has been showcasing its own impressive center rotation this season, even if it doesn’t always strictly rotate. The center duo of Alperen Sengun<\/a> and Steven Adams<\/a> is ransacking the league for the offensive rebounding<\/a> opportunities. Adams and Sengun are a +56 over 227 minutes sharing the court so far this season. Even when Houston doesn’t play them together, they give themselves 48 minutes of imposing physicality and toughness on the glass. They even have Clint Capela<\/a> chipping in when required as well.<\/p>\n

There won’t be any chance at NBA Cup progression<\/a> on the table this time around. The Rockets will have plenty of motivation to seek revenge regardless. Sengun, in particular, will want to make up for a 14-point, 4-turnover, 5-foul, -16 showing in the last matchup.<\/p>\n