DENVER (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Reed Sheppard scored the final 11 points of the third quarter to blow open a close game, and the Houston Rockets rolled past the Denver Nuggets 115-101 on Saturday.
Sheppard was 6 for 9 from long range and scored 28 points. His last bucket came on a steal and a slam after the Nuggets reserves had trimmed a 21-point deficit to 107-97 in the closing minutes.
The Rockets avenged a loss earlier in the week at Denver and snapped the Nuggets' six-game winning streak. Durant was 5 for 6 from 3-point range and Jabari Smith was 5 for 11 from long range for 22 points.
The Rockets shot 19 of 35 from long range (54%) to Denver’s 8 of 29 (27%).
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 25 points and Jamal Murray scored 16.
Denver coach Dave Adelman was ejected with 8:40 left in the game after arguing that Jokic should have gotten a whistle.
The Nuggets had pulled to within 71-66 with 1:29 left in the third quarter when Sheppard swished a pair of 3-pointers around a turnover by Murray. He sank two free throws and capped his run with another 3-pointer that gave the Rockets an 82-66 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Little went right for Denver, which was without star defender Peyton Watson (right trunk bruise) to guard Durant.
The rematch came three days after Rockets coach Ime Udoka was fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating in Houston’s 128-125 overtime loss to the Nuggets on Monday night.
He had little to complain about in this one, especially after Sheppard's 3s short-circuited Denver's comeback.
The Rockets took a 53-45 halftime lead after Josh Okogie hit a trio of 3-pointers, fueling an 11-0 run in the second quarter that helped Houston take control.
Rockets: Visit the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.
Nuggets: Host the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
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